Time After Time
by Miss-Tulip
Summary: sasuhina,full plot story, with 3 children to raise what mishaps, problems, and adventures will sasuke and hinata face?
1. A father situation

**I have to. Another sasu/hina! Well more like implied sasu/hina since this revolves around little stories between them and their three children, hikaru, matoko, and yuki. Yes they are mine so no stealing please. Take this as more of separate stories all clumped together to form some sort of connection. Anyways this is mostly drabbles, I was bored and had writer's block for my inu/kag story and this definitely helped me out. I'm not entirely sure how many chapters this will be, probably till I run out of ideas, but I'll follow my muse until it decides to disappear. On that note please enjoy this first story where sasuke shows a bit of fatherly affection to his beloved daughter :P I'm so evil lol. Please read and review if you did or didn't like it.**

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Sasuke was annoyed. Sasuke was far from annoyed. If he had known reaching anbu status meant, having to be a jounin who had to fill and sign miles upon miles of paperwork, he would have stayed a missing nin. Letting out an agitated sigh, the jounin put his pen down and stood up to stretch his aching back and arms. Sasuke cracked his knuckles twice before sitting back down on his couch to keep writing the nightmare that was forms and reports. His headache that had appeared around mid-afternoon had drizzled down to a mere thump in his head every time he blinked. Being home he realized was a lot better than staying in the stuffy humid room they call an office, besides this way he was with his wife and infant son. His twins matoko, and hikaru would also be able to see him earlier instead of right before dinner, like his schedule usually is. Speaking of which, thought sasuke, as he spotted hinata come out from the baby's room bringing an empty bottle with her. 

She spotted him finishing up another report file, his eyes filled with concentration, but the way his left brow twitched with every stroke of his pen she knew he was tired of the paperwork. Stifling a giggle hinata went into the kitchen to retrieve a new full bottle of milk to give to her baby son, yuki. While in there she grabbed a fresh can of grape juice, her husband's favorite. Walking back into the kitchen she saw sasuke in the same position as before, instead now he had a whole new folder to fill out. Standing behind the couch she smiled down at her husband's head before bending now to rest her head on his right shoulder. Hinata heard a soft grunt come from sasuke's mouth, which meant 'I'm home and it's good to see you'. Smiling she planted a soft kiss on his cheeks before straightening back up and going around the couch to sit next to sasuke.

"a lot of paperwork sasuke.?"

"hn, it would have been less if I hadn't been stuck with lazy incompetents, for teammates." sasuke replied putting aside another finished folder.

"It's not that bad sasuke, besides whenever you come home to do your paperwork, you finish a lot faster." hinata reassured him, placing the opened can of grape juice on the table for him to drink later.

"that's only because I have some good eye candy here." he chuckled lightly as he kissed his wife's blushing face.

"Sasuke, be serious." she giggled as she stood up and went around the table to go back to yuki's room.

"sasuke?" came hinata's voice as her head popped out from the corner of the hallway.

"hmm?"sasuke replied still filling in papers

"matoko and hikaru should be here soon, if they're hungry tell them there's some warm fish on the stove." she shouted out before entering the room.

A good half hour passed before sasuke, nearly done with his paperwork, thank god, heard the sliding of the front door, the shuffling of feet, a heavy object hitting the wooden floor, and the tapping and scraping of small feet walking across the hallway to reach the living room. A smile formed on his lips, recognizing his daughters mannerisms in the house. 'just like her mother.' he thought shaking his head slightly before concentrating on his paperwork again. The sliding door behind him opened slowly, as he heard the small shuffling of feet enter the room, then the door being slid shut again.

This was odd, sasuke's stoic face formed a confused scowl, usually his daughter would shout out in her quiet fashion that she was home and then proceed to tell him how her academy day went. Stranger still, matoko always showed up with her twin brother, hikaru. Slowing down his writing he watched soft lavender socks walk around the big couch and stand just a few inches from his spot on the couch. Said lavender socks, rocked back and forth in a slow pace as he continued to finish up another report. Five minutes passed by, before a small quiet voice breaks through the silence.

"T..Tadaima tou-san."

"Hmm, where's your brother matoko?" he looked up at her slightly, and ruffled her hair, giving her a smile.

"..ano...he's in our training fields playing with renji-kun and haji-kun." the eight year old girl gave sasuke a small sad smile before looking back down at her socks.

Sasuke's smile turned into a frown as he watched his daughter curl and uncurl her toes in a nervous fashion. 'somethings definitely wrong.' he thought before turning back to his paperwork. Sasuke was never one to make conversation and not one to try and probe around you till you talked, this included his daughter. She'll talk when she's ready. Another two folders and he'd be done, of course his daughter's fidgeting was making it more and more difficult to focus on his work . He was feeling his headache coming back. Sasuke was putting away another finished folder when he felt a small hand grab hold of his blue sleeve, turning around he gave his daughter a blank look.

"Ne...can...can I sit with you tou-san?" her feet continued to move around in a circular manner as gray pearlescent eyes met onyx eyes.

He gave her smile before returning to his last folder for the day. Matoko smiled and climbed up the couch to see next her daddy. Her little legs dangling off the couch she rocked them back and forth waiting for her father to be done. She was starting to get nervous though, so taking her sweater off she scooted over to be right next to her father before nudging him slowly. Not noticing a reaction, but knowing her father after eight years of life, he was listening. Gulping matoko looked over at a window before starting.

"Ne...ano...tou-san...are my eyes...ugly?" her voice came out more high then she had wanted and she let out an involuntary squeak at the end.

Matoko stopped all her movements, the moment she saw her father freeze, mid writing and held his hand in that position. "tou...tou-san?"

'this isn't good, I'm not ready for a talk with my daughter...this is something hinata should be handling not me. What if she asks those silly feminine questions, besides the one she just asked...if I answer this question two possible outcomes could occur: I'll have a crying daughter, whose feelings were hurt by her insensitive father's words, causing my wife to get angry at me. Or I could cautiously choose my words and answer her question vaguely but to the point, avoiding any conflict with my daughter and my wife.' sasuke rolled his eyes at himself, and took all of his will not to slap his forehead. 'none of those things will work, matoko isn't a mission, she's my daughter. Sadly, a daughter stuck with a father who knows nothing of comfort. Gods, it sucks to be a father.'

sasuke was brought back from his thoughts when he felt the same soft tug of his sleeve. Dropping his pen on the table the jounin turns to look at his daughter. He can't help but feel small pity towards matoko, who kept her gaze down concentrating on something other than her father. Sighing, sasuke combs his free fingers through his hair.

"Matoko..." his voice boomed out kindly, but sternly.

Jumping from her father's tone the indigo-haired girl looked up to ask, "Ano...uhh are you ok tou-san? You looked weird ..wh..when I asked you my...my question."

"No, I'm fine matoko, now what did you ask me?" sasuke returned to his papers, but looked to be reading over them instead of finishing his writing.

"umm...un, do..do you think my eyes are ugly...tou-san?" came the soft question from his daughter.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, before putting his folder on his lap. He moved his body to face the small pearl-eyed girl and gave her a once-over.

"...Matoko...who told you that?" his question came out cautiously, but with a hint of a threat if she didn't answer truthfully.

The girl blushed furiously, and bit her lower lip. 'still like her mother' thought the black haired man as he waited patiently for his daughter to talk.

Wiping away her unshed tears, matoko breathed in deeply before she answered, "umm...some boys at the academy said...that..that my eyes were a weird color and that...that it made me look really ugly..." the little girl gasped out as she tried to suppress unwanted tears, "and...and that the only reason people talk to..to me was because I..I'm an uchiha." matoko stopped talking and began to wipe away her tears again.

'these damn kids, I gotta have a talk with naruto about new teacher reassignments. They're not doing their jobs.'

matoko felt a heavy hand land on her head patting it softly. Looking up she sees her father giving her a serious stare. Looking back down matoko sniffles, trying to hide her tears from her father, she didn't want him to think she was weak.

"I...I know I shouldn't care what they said..b..but it..it still ..hurt tou-san." she rubbed at her eyes annoyingly, trying fruitlessly to end her tears.

Knowing he'd probably would regret doing this later on, sasuke did something he had not done to matoko since she was four. Pulling her gently towards him, the cold-hearted shinobi, turned once again into a caring father and embraced his daughter. The little girl's eyes widened with surprise, but quickly recovered and welcomed her father's warm body. Letting her tears fall freely, sasuke held onto his daughter, and whispered into her ears.

"no one can make you feel inadequate without your permission...do you understand matoko?" he stopped for a moment to feel a response from matoko. When he felt her little held nod up and down, he continued.

"you have your mother's eyes matoko...and that alone makes you beautiful." through his clothing sasuke could hear a small gasp and the sudden shaking of matoko's small framed body.

Matoko released from her father's hold and looked up at him. Her cheeks tinted a soft pink, and her pearl-colored eyes shining brightly with the light in the room and her tears. She smiled at her father and nodded with excitement. 'you'll definitely be as beautiful as your mother matoko, though I'm still deciding if that's good or bad.' sasuke patted her head again admiring his daughter.

"arigouto tou-san...I needed to hear that." jumping off the couch matoko reached over at the half empty can of grape juice and drank some.  
"So that helped you?" came her father's calm monotone voice as he continued with the last pages of his last report.

"uhumm...and if they bother me again, hikaru-niisan can scare them off with his sharingan." matoko giggled as she wiped away stray tears from her eyes.

Forming a scowl sasuke asked his daughter, " He's done this before?"

"Hai, today after school when they tried to make fun of me again. He told them he'd kill them if they tried to pull something like that again."

'I'd be proud of him if it weren't for the fact that he's becoming as overprotective as me. I'll have to talk to him later on tonight.' sasuke mentally sighed in his head as he shook his head and went back to his papers.

Stretching matoko looked over at her father still smiling.

"I'm going to go help kaa-san with yuki-chan, ok tou-san?"

Her father's eyes moved up to stare at her for a second before going back down to the last page of the report. Taking that as a yes, matoko bowed to her father and began to jog towards her little brother's room. As she reached to corner of the hallway, the indigo-haired girl stopped and turned back around and walked up to her father as he closed the last folder for the day. Rubbing his temples, trying to calm down his ever growing headache, he spotted a white tank-top in his vision.

"what is it now matoko?" his voice came out a lot harsher than he had wanted and hoped matoko hadn't taken it as a sign to leave him alone.

His dark eyes watched with curiosity at pearl-colored eyes. A giggle escaped his daughter's lips as she launched herself onto to sasuke, giving him a sloppy kiss in the cheek.

"I love you very much papa! Arigouto!"

Releasing him, matoko beamed at him and dashed away to find her mother. Sasuke's face remained in a stunned expression, his fingers lifting slowly to the spot his daughter had planted a kiss. Moments pass before his mind finally takes in everything that had happened. He chuckles lightly as a smirks graces his lips. Standing up he collects all the finished reports, and walks to the master bedroom to drop them off. From his room he hears, the laughter of two feminine voices, the small cry of a baby, and the sliding of a door a voice calling out that he's home. Rubbing his kissed cheek with affection sasuke walks back out to the living room.

'I take it back, it's not so bad being a father.'

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**awww sasuke is loved ya'll lol! I hope you enjoyed this short story and another one will be posted up...soon? yea well please review!**_  
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	2. Where do babies come from?

**Hello again! I have chapter two of my short stories for you! I'd like to thank those who reviewed I appreciate it very much, if I was rich I'd give you money. Sadly I am not so all you get is my deep gratitude lol. Anyways this short drabble involves both twins hikaru and matoko, asking their parents what I like to call 'THE ULTIMATE WEAPON TO EMBARRASS YOUR PARENTS!' ...umm question. The response sasuke and hinata give their children is actually based on true events from yours truly lol. My cousins, bless their hearts, asked my brother and me this question and that was our answer...corny yea I know but it got the job done D. the relationship between these two siblings are gonna be very tight, after all I did make hikaru an overprotective brother who'd kill a guy for breathing the same air as his sister lol. Well for now I will leave you to the story please enjoy and review if you'd be so kind, since well they motivate me greatly.**

**Disclaimer: if naruto were mine, sasuke and hinata would have eloped by now.**

**Another disclaimer: hika-kun, matoko-chan, and yuki-kun, yea those are mine so no touchy por favor, thank you.**

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"Are you sure this is going to work nii-san?" A small voice whispered into the young black haired boy's ears, as they watched their parents preparing for dinner. 

"Matoko, you gotta trust your older brother on this, I'm never wrong." he whispered back watching as his mother set down four bowls of rice on the table.

"You're older than me by two and a half minutes hikaru-niisan how can I really trust you like that." the indigo-haired girl tugged on her brother's shirt annoyingly.

"That's not the point matoko, the point is getting the information we need from our parents, we're gonna be ninjas soon so we gotta get used to stealth and infiltrating. Ok matoko?" he took a moment to give his younger twin sister a soft smile.

"...Hai, nii-san." she nodded smiling and looked over her brother's shoulder to view her parents finishing up for dinner.

"All right matoko, after dinner you talk to tou-san and I'll talk to kaa-san."

"Ne, why do I have to do ask tou-san? You know how angry he gets if I ask him stupid questions." the eight year old girl, twisted a strand of her hair in nervousness.

"you'll be fine besides, we men never talk about stuff like that, cause it shows we're weak and we can't do that. Since tou-san loves you like he does mom it'll be easier for you." he replied in a matter-in-fact tone.

"oooooh, I understand nii-san, I won't let you down. But you have to make sure kaa-san answers your questions too."

"Don't worry dumb-dumb, I know what I'm doing. Now remember your mission." the onyx eyed boy patted his sister's head as both children heard their mother calling them for dinner.

Sitting down beside each other, the two siblings watched their parents diligently, as they ate their dinner. Oblivious to their children's plot both sasuke and hinata ate their dinner, quietly conversing to each other. The first to finish was sasuke who gave his wife a peck in the cheek before rising from the table and walking into his office. Hinata smiled at her two children as she picked up her and sasuke's plate. Taking this chance hikaru winked at his sister and rose from his chair taking his plate with him.

"I'll help you with the dishes kaa-san!" he shouted after his mother's retreating form.

Matoko got off her chair and walked over to her father's office, her nerves already building up. Standing in front of the door, the little girl gulped, the doors seeming to grow with every blink she made. Shooting glances to her right and left, she tried to find a way to get out of having to ask her father such a question. Her thoughts of escape were thwarted when she felt the aura of death coming from the kitchen. Sighing she placed a shaky hand on the wooden cover of the door and knocked twice.

'You can do it matoko' thought the little girl as she heard her father's rather loud 'what' come from the other side of the door.

Back in the kitchen hikaru dried up the last of the dishes for his mother, as he contemplated how to ask her his ever important question. His eyes watched as she placed the last of the clean dishes back into their proper place. Hinata being a byakugan-user had noticed her son's stares since they went into the kitchen, so drying off her hands she smiled at the black haired boy.

"I'm going to check on your baby brother, would you like to come along hikaru?" She patted his head as she walked out of the kitchen heading in the direction of the baby's room.

He nodded and followed after his mother, noticing the empty space by his father's office, he smiled. 'Good job matoko, you got in, now I just have to get my mom in yuki's room and I'll ask her.' as he entered the room he spotted his mother picking up a squirming baby, a baby bottle of fresh apple juice in her hand. Hinata sat down on the rocking chair, and began to feed yuki his juice. Hikaru sat in front of her on the floor, indian style.

Inhaling a deep breath, matoko with shaky hands opened and closed the door of her father's office. She moved her head taking in the dim-lit room with little furniture, but a table and lamp. She moved her legs with a nervous stride to her father, trying to bring up as much courage as she could to prepare herself to what she had to ask soon. As she reached his desk, she peeked over to see her father studying over some scrolls. His onyx eyes in full concentration on the scrolls. Sitting down, politely in front of him she waited until he put the scroll down to speak.

"Tou-san...may I ask you something? She asked while fiddling with her small fingers.

"It better be important matoko, these scrolls have to be signed and given to their proper owner soon." sasuke replied giving his daughter a small scowl.

"Ano...un, well...it's just...that...umm...I wanted..I..."

Hinata pushed back the rocking chair in a slow rhythmic beat, the infant in her arms, drinking his precious liquid. Hikaru looked down for a moment contemplating over something, before looking up at his mother. He frowned slightly before tugging at his mother's skirt. Hinata stopped her humming and looked down at her eldest child.

"what is it hikaru?" she smiled down at him, causing the boy to blush.

"Ummmm...kaa-san, can I ask you something?" he asked pouting slightly at his obvious nerves.

"Of course hikaru, what do you want to ask?"

Both parents watched intently from separate rooms, at their two twins, each taking a deep breath before asking, " Where do babies come from?"

From outside of the office, the clang of a scroll hitting the wooden floor could be heard. From the baby's room, the creaking of the rocking chair seized its sound.

Coughing, sasuke stood up from the table and looked at the sliding door, "...matoko...wait here I'll be back in a few minutes." the black haired man walked and exited the door, a small blush on his cheeks. 'I can't believe this! I thought all the embarrassing questions were over for the next four years.' sasuke thought in his head, as he left his daughter confused and worried.

Hinata's long gone trademark tomato face, had made its ugly return, as she glanced from one side of the room to the other. Blinking nervously she stood from the rocking chair and placed her now asleep baby son back into his crib. The white-eyed woman looks down at her son, waiting with anticipation for her answer. Her blush still covering her face, she gives hikaru a small nervous smile.

"Ano...hikaru I'm going to get your brother some more juice, I'll be right back." hinata leaves the room quickly before her son could retort why she hasn't answered his question.

Both husband and wife meet in the kitchen, their blushes still covering their faces. Hinata raises an eyebrow at her husband's strange appearance, he doesn't blush like that unless with me. Placing the bottle down on the counter she walks over to sasuke, who watches her with a nervous glance. Sasuke faces hinata as she does him and both ask, "he, she asked me where do babies come from?!" the indigo-haired woman stares in disbelief at her husband, while the usually calm man lets out a frustrated grunt and covers his face with his hand.

"So...matoko...asked you the same thing?"

"I thought it was bad enough with matoko, but now you're telling me hikaru asked you too?" another grunt escapes his mouth as he leans his back against the kitchen wall.

Placing her hands on the counter, hinata stares at the decorated plate by her, "what...are we going to say to them sasuke? I always thought we wouldn't have to worry about things like this until they became genin."

"well, I guess we can assume we were wrong on that situation." he replied with an agitated tone. "I suppose we're going to have to...well lie to them until they're ready to hear the real details."

"Can we really do that sasuke? They're very impressionable, they might not believe us later on when we tell them the actual truth." hinata bit her lower lip in worry.

"They are our children, we can twist them as much as we want hinata." sasuke rubbed his aching arm as he was met with a rather rough pinch by his wife. "all right, let's keep it vague then, similar to the the real reason how babies are made, but with less details and different references. How's that?"

Nodding slowly, hinata leaned in towards her husband to hear what their answer would be to matoko and hikaru's sudden question.

Five minutes pass, as both twins wait impatiently for their parents to return and answer their question.

'why is tou-san taking so long? I hope he's not angry at me, it was just a question he could have just said he didn't want to answer it, I would've understood.' Sighing the young girl twirled a lock of her indigo hair. She jumped when she heard the sliding door to the office open and close. Looking up she spotted her father's slow movements as he made his way back to the table. Matoko tried to read her father's empty stare as he resumed reading over the scroll he had dropped after she asked her question. The girl opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by her father who gave her a strange glare.

"do you want your question answered or not?" his voice came out so cold matoko could have sworn she saw her father's breath. The girl looked down and nodded fervently.

Matoko flinched when she felt her father's breath on her forehead. Stray hairs flew and landed softly back on her face, looking up her father now had his usual stoic face.

Hikaru tapped on the wooden floor with annoyance and impatience. 'kaa-san is taking too long, I'll go look for her." as he was preparing to stand, he saw his mother entering the room the baby bottle now refilled with juice. Hinata set the bottle down on the table and grabbed her sewing. She glanced at hikaru who had an eyebrow raised at her strange behavior, she smiled and went back to her sewing. The woman gulped and prepared herself.

"So...hikaru do you still want an answer to your question?"

Blinking in surprise hikaru crawled his way over to hinata and placed his arms on her lap, watching her with attentive eyes. "Hai, kaa-san please answer the question."

giggling nervously hinata placed her sewing down and said, "Well hikaru...when...umm well ...ano...when a man and a woman love each other...they umm..."

"They want to be together, and when they give each other a hug during the night, they well get to have a baby." sasuke's left eye twitched with both annoyance and total and complete embarrassment. A shinobi shouldn't even have to be answering these ridiculous questions, thought the clearly annoyed man.

Meanwhile the young girl pouted in deep thought. Confused by her father's answer. "Tou-san...does that mean that if I hug hikaru during the night I'll have a baby too?" matoko looked on innocently as her father froze in his place and coughed loudly. His face now a fine shade of pink, he gave his daughter a disbelieving stare.

"...Of..of course not matoko!" sasuke was trying to erase rather disturbing and sickening images of his two twins he didn't even notice he was starting to stutter.

"Look...let..let me explain it like this..."

"Wait kaa-san...so if matoko hugs me she'll have my baby?" hikaru looked up at the ceiling and scratched his head in thought, as his mother took in his question. Hinata in her shock at the very wrong question, pricked her finger with the needle she was holding.

Grabbing a tissue to stop the bleeding, she stared at her son as if he was the most dangerous thing alive.

"Ano...hikaru...it..i..i..it's not like that either...let me explain it a bit more clearly for you..."

"the way to have a baby is a technique in itself matoko, only adults can perform this ...umm special hugging technique, so it wouldn't work if you and your brother hugged at night. Besides your mother and I would never allow such a ..." he stopped and stared at his daughter who looked at him with a thoughtful smile on her face. Giving her a soft look, sasuke patted her head lightly. "Just know that you'll know when that certain guy will be that you'll...hug at night." he smiled as his daughter giggled and nodded her head in understanding.

'I'll make sure that isn't for another ten to fifteen years though.' sasuke thought as his daughter looked over his scrolls again.

"So you see sweetie, this special hug technique umm is only known by adults and you won't know how to do that until you're at least sixteen or eighteen, do you understand?" hinata smiled tenderly at her son who was helping her put on a bandage for her injured finger.

"umm hai kaa-san I understand, so I won't be hugging my sister to have a baby but the girl...I umm love right?" he rubbed his mother's finger gently before looking at her opaque eyes.

"Hai hikaru, and that's where baby comes from." she smiled again as hikaru gave her a tight hug, and leaped off to find his sister.

"Thanks a bunch kaa-san!"

"I'm going to find hikaru now, he and I have to finish our assignment for the academy." getting off the floor matoko plants a small kiss on sasuke's forehead before bowing and leaving the office.

Waiting until he fully knows matoko is out of hearing range, sasuke bangs his head on the small table. He grumbles incoherent words to himself, glad that this difficult moment of his life is over, at least for the next four years when the process begins again, with more details and the actual truth. 'I'm going to have gray hairs before I hit thirty-five I know it.' standing up he walks out of his office to find his wife and hope her ordeal went by more smoothly then his did.

Matoko entered her room and spotted hikaru on her bed snacking on sunflower seeds. Smiling she walked over and plopped herself on the foot of the bed facing her brother. Pearlescent eyes met onyx as they both began to giggle.

"So hikaru-niisan how was mother's reaction?" the young girl asked as she stuck out her hand to accept her brother's offer of sunflower seeds.

"It was a lot more shocked then I thought it would be, kaa-san's always really calm, but it'll definitely help out for our report. How about tou-san?" he grinned widely as he chewed on another seed.

"He looked so surprised and stunned hikaru-niisan I've never seen tou-san have a look like that, I was surprised too. But I got what we needed for the report too." she smiled as she grabbed her backpack and took out a small blue folder.

Both children open the folder to look inside. In big bold letter the words ' infiltrating a shinobi's mind without genjutsu.' could be see. Matoko giggled again as she grabs a pen and begins to write in it. Soon followed by hikaru who's happy grin remained on his face. On the other side of their door, the twins can hear two voices, who they recognize as their parents, discuss something they'd guess was the conversation they had started early that evening. Heavy sighs and an angry male voice shouting out what sounded like, "these questions shouldn't even exist" resounded through out the walls of the home. Another giggle escapes the young girl as she closes the folder and jumps off the bed to drop the folder back into her backpack.

"Do you think they'll ever find out that we just tricked them into answering that question for our report?" matoko asks, placing a finger on her lip in thought.

"Nah, probably not as long as Ino-sensei doesn't spill the beans on us during our annual meet the teacher thing. Besides they haven't even figured out that we already know where babies come from." he smirked at matoko, showing the side of his father he had clearly inherited.

Blushing she shakes her head still trying not to laugh, "Ano...that was a very interesting conversation with kakashi-sempai."

matoko and hikaru sit by the window and watch as the stars begin to pop up over their home. Both have a content smile on their faces as they hear their parents voices, a tone of pure embarrassment and humiliation heard with every word they spoke.

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**well? what do you think? funny wasn't it? those kids are definitely sasuke's otherwise that plan would have never worked lol. I got a really fluffy one for the next chapter, I was umm watching a lot of mushy mexican movies today, so yea please review! BTW anyone get the kakashi reference at the end? if you're a true naruto fan it should be very clear )**


	3. Hikaru's generous christmas

**I'm crying, seriously I am! I'm just sooo happy right now! Do you know how much I love all of you?! Well I love all of you with the hot white intensity of a thousand suns! All these wonderful reviews I got...thank you so much! There's no words to describe how grateful I am to all of you! Those reviews kept me inspired and motivated to continue my short stories, and telling by some of those reviews ya'll fell in love with the uchiha twins huh? lol it's all right they are sasuke's and hinata's who wouldn't love them? Anyways my ranting is over sorry, about this short story. Hikaru is faced with a tough decision (for an eight year old anyway) as christmas is just around the corner. Being selfish or being the big brother he always boast about being, and returning matoko's kind gesture of love! It's very fluffy cause it's hikaru not being the 'I'm a big boy and that means I can be a meanie if I want' type of kid lol. Oh by the way, hikaru calls matoko 'mato-chan' as a sign of endearment to his little sister, cause he loves her very much! My next story will revolve around a certain ghost making a visit to the uchiha household...but for now please enjoy this short story, and continue to review please because it will motivate me to keep writing and my love for you will grow...unless that freaks you out then I'll just be grateful!**

**oh one more thing, the part in italics is a flashback...in case anyone gets confused.**

**Thank you: ****HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2. These are my muses people, and the ones that made me cry tears of joy! Thank you once again for your reviews they helped me very much. :)**

**Disclaimer: If naruto were mine, there would be baby uchihas running around by now lol**

**Another disclaimer: Hika-kun, matoko-chan, and yuki-kun are mine so no stealy please!

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He hated shopping, he hated this time of the year. Hikaru hated shopping for this time of the year. It was nothing against the actual holiday itself, but how much people seem to get so into it, they get offended and hurt if you don't return their 'kind gestures of love'. Grunting the small boy passed by another old antique shop, and decided to check it out. Christmas should be banned from konoha, thought the black haired boy as he disinterestedly looked at every object in the store, a permanent scowl on his face. His father was in the shop next door, buying something for hinata. I shouldn't have even been dragged into this whole mess, hikaru frowned at his own thoughts, remembering what happened hours ago.

_Walking lazily through his home, hikaru was trying to find something to entertain him. The academy was closed for the week since christmas was right around the corner, and people wanted time to shop and spend time with their children. Hikaru himself didn't really understand christmas, you buy a gift, you give it to someone, and they return the favor. Sounds like an average birthday to me, he whispered to himself as he spotted his twin matoko, looking over a magazine. Deciding it was better than walking around again the boy entered the room where his sister was and plopped next to her. The young indigo haired girl jumped from being startled by the sound and looked up to see curious onyx eyes staring back at her._

_"Ne, mato-chan what are you doing?" he asked tilting his head slightly to get a better look at the magazine._

_Blushing matoko pointed to a picture of a lovely lavender colored marble music box, covered with a fine red silk on the inside, a golden latch with a matching heart shaped key, a small lavender porcelain doll in the center, and a small crystal rose petal placed inside the music box. "I...it's very pretty isn't it? I was hoping to b..b..be able to buy it for..m..myself this christmas." she smiled sadly, placing her small hand on the picture._

_"So...why don't you get it?" he asked feeling uncomfortable, he never liked his sister to get sad like that, it just felt wrong._

_Shaking her head slowly she closed the magazine placing it back on the table, "I...I wish I could but I spent all my money on gifts for kaa-san, tou-san, yuki-chan, and you."_

_"all of it? But Hiashi-obaasan gave us each over twelve hundred yen for our birthdays." he blinked surprised his sister had spent all that amount on simple christmas gifts._

_"I had only nine hundred yen left when I went shopping with kaa-san yesterday." her smile remained sad as she rose from her spot and walked out of the room._

_Hikaru looked down and pouted. He didn't understand why matoko was reacting like that. Girls are weird, maybe kaa-san can help, he smiled at his idea and quickly ran to the kitchen to find his mother._

_Opening the sliding door, hikaru found his mother sitting on the kitchen table reading a book on medicine. Walking up to her, the boy tugged on her sleeve._

_"Kaa-san I need to ask you something really really important."_

_Putting down her book hinata looked over at her son and smiled, "Of course hikaru what is it?"_

_"...Ano...you know how me and mato-chan got twelve hundred yen from hiashi-obaasan for our birthdays right?" he waited for his mother's nod before continuing, "well...umm what...did you know matoko do with all of it?"_

_Hinata blinked in surprise, hikaru was asking something rather unusual about his sister, she chose to answer anyway, "If I remember correctly, she used up her last nine hundred yesterday when I took her shopping with me, I don't know exactly what she bought but she had no money left when we got home."_

_"Neeee, kaa-san but what did she buy with the first three hundred??" hikaru whined at his mother as he sat down in the chair next to her._

_The black haired boy jumped in fear at his mother's disapproving stare, "Hi-kun...how horrible of you to not remember."_

_"...remember what?" he asked baffled by his mother's words._

_"After the birthday party matoko went and bought you a new set of shuriken and kunai to replace your old rusty set...you were so excited too you wouldn't stop talking about it for weeks." hinata's voice was slightly angry but her face softened when she saw her son's face going down in guilty realization._

_'I remember now, I thanked mato-chan so many times for buying the set for me...I never repaid her...I thought I had though...damn no wonder she looked sad, she probably thought I've forgotten about it.' the young boy pouted as he laid his head against the table, guilt starting to bring down his light mood._

_Hinata smiled and patted his black wild hair gently, before rising from her chair and grabbing her bag. Looking up hikaru looked on with a bored stare as his mother grabbed more books to put in her bag._

_"Kaa-san...why don't you take me shopping? I gotta get something real quick." his face brightened up for a moment, realizing it wasn't too late to go get his sister a gift._

_Shaking her head hinata gave her son a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry hikaru but I have to go fill in for sakura-chan at the hospital till six o'clock." hinata felt her heart being tugged at hard, seeing her son's eyes look down in disappointment. "Ne, why don't you ask your father, hikaru? He was planning on going out for something anyway, I'm sure you can tag along."_

_hinata tried not to let her giggle escape as she saw the boy's face turn a fine shade of blue.'he's going to stutter now, if I know my son well enough.'_

_"...T...Tou-san?? Umm you..know..I..I really don't have to..go..go that badly...besides...I wasn't going to waste my valuable money...on..on something useless...I'm going to buy that wind shuriken I saw the other day...so...I'll...I'll wait until I have more..umm money that's all." hikaru scolded at himself for having stuttered almost the whole sentence._

_"are you that afraid of your father hikaru." asked hinata amused by her son's antics._

_"...NO! I'm not afraid..of t...tou-san" the black haired boy nearly jumped out of his chair as he felt a cold hand land on his shoulder. Turning his head to look up his eyes met ones that matched his own._

_"What about me hikaru?" sasuke asked yawning from just waking up from a much needed nap._

_"ano...nothing tou-san." the boys voice came out in such a low whisper his father had to strain a bit to hear his answer._

_Giggling hinata patted her son's head playfully, then went to hug her husband. "Ne, sasuke, you just got back from a long a-rank mission shouldn't you have slept longer?"_

_"I'm fine, I'd figured you'd wake me up anyway since you are leaving the kids with me." he answered planting a loving kiss on his wife's cheek._

_"Hai...I am." looking down hinata's face turned worried at hikaru's nervous flinching. Sighing the indigo haired woman leaned up to her husband's ears and whispered softly, "Sasuke, hikaru needs to go buy something 'very important' if you know what I mean, but is too nervous to ask you, please take him with you? I'll make sure to drop off matoko and yuki at the hyuga compound while you're gone." leaning back hinata waited for her husband's reply._

_Sighing he combed through his hair, "Fine I can take him, but seriously hinata, are all my kids that scared of me?"_

_Giggling she left her husband's side and called out to matoko to bring yuki and his bag, "It's just the moodiness you tend to get into after waking up from a nap sasuke, it can intimidate any ninja, so it's to be expected for a child to be frightened by it, including your own."_

_Hikaru slammed his face on the kitchen table, his left eye twitching in annoyance, 'Kaa-san and Tou-san are talking like I'm not even here! Well there's no way I'm going with tou-san my life might get cut down by a good ten years if I make him mad.' he rubbed his injured forehead as he contemplated how to convince his father he didn't need to go. Getting off the kitchen chair hikaru hopped onto the couch watching his sister and baby brother appear around the corner. He grimaced seeing his sister's usual happy smile replaced by an empty stare. Sasuke and hinata noticed their daughter's strange behavior and how hikaru was reacting to it. The indigo haired girl handed her squirming little brother to her mother who gave her an affectionate smile._

_"Matoko dear, I'm dropping you and yuki off with your neji-jiisan for a little bit, while your father and hikaru go shopping, they'll pick both of you up in about an hour ok?"_

_"'kay." matoko nodded her smile wavering. Hinata looked over at sasuke showing a face of clear worry._

_The man shrugged knowing if his daughter was anything like him, she just needed time to sort through her feelings. Sasuke ruffles her hair affectionately as she passes, earning a small smile, before she opens the front door waiting for her mother to go. Sighing hinata nods and walks out with matoko and yuki, leaving behind sasuke and hikaru. The young boy had been watching his sister through that whole time, and felt guilt creep up at him again. 'No...I can't go with tou-san though...but matoko looks really disappointed...and I know it's because she wanted that music box...but tou-san...ugh...no..matoko is more important then escaping with my life right? Yea...right... ok I gotta do this.'_

_sasuke leaned against the kitchen wall drinking grape juice, watching in amusement at his son's inner conflict. 'he's making it even more obvious by those faces he's making.'_

_the tired shinobi scratched the back of his head lazily while walking around to sit on the couch where his son was still fighting his inner self. Bored eyes drifted to the small black haired boy who's expression remained troubled._

_"Are you planning on staying here feeling guilty for the rest of the day hikaru?" his stern voice shook the boy out of his daze as he turned to look at sasuke._

_"...uhh no...gomen tou-san...but...I'm just confused."_

_"About?" sasuke had closed his eyes allowing the breeze from the open window to fan his face_

_"It's...just ...if you know someone was sad about not being able to get something they really wanted...and you...know it was your fault cause they got you something instead...how..how do you fix it...so...that it'll make it all better?" his pleading onyx eyes turned to his father hoping for an answer. 'come on tou-san you gotta know this, I may be the prodigy of my class but there's no way I know anything about this junk.'_

_Opening one pupil sasuke looked at his son before smirking and looking towards the window, "You make it even hikaru."_

_"Even...?" he looked at his father puzzled._

_"Hai...as in buy that person something." he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world._

_"Oh." hikaru looked down the feeling of something bad hitting the pits of his stomach. 'I had a strong feeling it's had to be that...but...'_

_"Hikaru...stop being a selfish brat, your mother and I didn't raise you that way." Sasuke glared at his son who stiffened from his spot on the couch. Grunting the man stood up and grabbed the young boy by the color of his long sleeve blue shirt. Grabbing his wallet and keys sasuke throws hikaru's sweater at him before getting his own. He kept dragging the boy until they reached the exit of the uchiha compound._

_"We are going to buy some things...I suggest you think clearly what you want to do, I will not make every little decision for you, you have to make it on your own hikaru, do you understand?" his onyx eyes bore into the young boy's own eyes._

_Looking down in shame at his father's disapproving tone, hikaru nodded slowly before following his father into the village square._

'And the way he spoke to me is still affecting me pretty hard, and that's how I found myself here huh? Looking around stupid shops, for a stupid gift, and I look like a stupid girl just window shopping.' the brooding boy came out of the fifth antique shop he's entered, and turned to see his father talking to the hokage. Sasuke was holding four individual bags in his left hand, his right occupied tugging at the hokage's white coat. 'Tou-san hasn't even said a word to me since we left the house...he must really be mad.' his eyes wandered up to his father's face, he held a stoic stare, unlike the hokage's whose bright blue eyes danced with every word he spoke. 'Then again, you can never really tell.'

walking in the opposite direction, hikaru soon noticed another shop they seemed to hold newer merchandise. The boy shrugged to himself, figuring it wouldn't hurt to check it out. As he entered the strong smell of perfume and sweet smelling things wafted up his nose. Hikaru scrunched up his nose as he continued to walk into the store, entering the first aisle. 'great a store for girls, just my luck. I can't worry about that now though, I gotta find something for matoko, so tou-san won't think I'm selfish...cause I'm not! Right?' the young boy stopped walking as he stared at his feet troubled by his own thoughts. He was going to return to his thoughts, when a glint caught his eyes. Turning to the side his onyx eyes went wide spotting something very large and very lavender. His hands quickly grasped the lavender music box. The same color, the same design, the same little lavender colored doll in the middle when you open it, the same marble and red silk, the same gold heart shaped key and lock, and the same crystal rose petal. Hikaru's wide smile returned to his face for the first time that day, if it weren't for the fact that there were ladies in here he would've jumped in joy.

"I was gonna get her some little charm bracelet or something, but just my luck that this freakin' store has this music box and it looks like the last one all I gotta do is pay for i..." hikaru seized his little pep talk as the price tag fell to view. ' twelve-hundred yen...that's...all my money...' his eyes dropped down in deep conflict. The young boy was so into his thoughts he didn't notice the store door being opened again, the gasps from the women, or the large shadow of a man just above him. He sighed hugging the music box tightly against his small chest. 'If I am selfish...how can I fix it? I can't help being that way.'

"What are you planning to do...hikaru?" sasuke's stern but soft voice reached the boys ears.

"I..."

The soft light of an early winter morning hit the uchiha household awakening the two uchiha twins. Small feet hitting the wooden floors could be heard as they raced into the living room where the christmas tree stood. A woman pulling back her hair into a small bun, smiled as she watched her children enter the living room sitting by the christmas tree excitingly. A muscular arm held her against a warm chest, as a loud yawn was heard from behind her.

Matoko is the first to acknowledge her parent's presence, "Ne! Tou-san kaa-san! Can we open our presents now?" pleading pearlescent eyes watched the two adults closely.

Smiling sasuke shrugged and rubbed his neck, "I don't know, it might be too early..." he laughed as he heard his two twins protest loudly in his direction, "All right, all right go ahead you little brats open them up."

matoko giggled as she grabbed her three gifts hugging each one of them with affection. Hikaru grabbed his own three and measured them wanting to keep the christmas wrapping for later. Hinata smiled warmly as she pulled sasuke to open the present she had gotten him. Sasuke grabbed the blue wrapped gift as he held out the gift he had gotten for hinata. The two twins had just finished opening their first gift as sasuke handed hinata hers. Matoko let out a squeal of delight at the new set of lavender and navy blue pants and sweater she had gotten from her mother. Hikaru shouted an 'all right' as he held a new video game for his game system. Their second gifts consisting of a set of matching necklace, bracelet and earrings for matoko, and a brand new black and red sweater for hikaru, received relatively the same reaction.

Hikaru though, was able to tell the difference. Matoko's smile wavered slightly, before completely disappearing. She put down the box of matching jewelery, watching her parents laughing at the gifts that had given each other. Grabbing the third gift he pulled himself over to his younger twin sister. Matoko watched with confused curiosity as he shoved the gift to her face. Taking it slowly she couldn't help but smile a little as she saw her brother blushing. He coughed and looked in another direction.

"Ano...that...that one's from me..so you better like it or I won't get you anything next year." he tried to make his voice harsh but failed miserably after seeing his sister's amused look.

"Hai, hikaru-niisan." she opened the wrapper slowly, not noticing the three stares looking at her with anticipation. Hikaru gulped loudly as the wrapper left the box.

The young girl opened the cardboard surrounding her gift, a small gasp escaped her lips and her eyes widened as the gift was revealed to her.

"My...m..m..my music box...ano...I...I don't get it...how did you get this nii-san?" her eyes glittered, grateful tears forming but refusing to fall.

"I...umm...it's no big deal ok! You got me that cool set of shuriken and kunai so...I'm just returning the favor ...that's all!" the black haired boy turned in the direction of his parents and pouted, embarrassed to be made to explain why he did something so 'girly'.

"ano...you didn't answer my question though..." she looked down at her precious music box and noticed her brother had forgotten to remove the price tag at the bottom of the box. Her tears fell slowly down her face as she watched her brother fidget in annoyance, trying desperately to get rid of his blush.

"Hikaru-niisan...you...this cost twelve-hundred yen...you..you used up your birthday savings for me?"

he froze and twirled around to see the price tag still very much attached to the music box, "ehh?! Tou-san! You promised you'd get rid of that!...how could..." hikaru was stopped from finishing his sentence as he felt two very small arms embrace his neck tightly. He felt his blush intensify as wet spots started forming on his sweater. He awkwardly folded his own arms around his sister's petite form, looking at his parents for some form of escape. Sasuke smirked in triumph, glad he had managed to hide the price tag from his son, hinata simply giggled extremely happy at the affection her daughter was giving to hikaru.

"Arigouto...arigouto...arigouto nii-san! I love you so much! This means so much to me, I'll always treasure this, but...you..you didn't have to get this for me." she hiccuped into her brother's soft sweater still embracing him.

Sighing hikaru patted her back gently, before breaking the embrace and looking at his sister. He smiled sheepishly and grabbed his gifts, "Of course I have to dumb-dumb! I'm your brother that's what brothers do...besides." he looked at her as he began to open his third gift, "When you care about someone, you gotta think of them before yourself." he smiled at his younger sister again, giving her a playful punch on the cheek before continuing opening his gift.

The young girl giggled and nodded eagerly, completely agreeing with her brother's philosophy. Hinata heard the small cry of yuki, and quickly left the room to get him, but not before patting hikaru's head, proud of how much he had grown.

He smiled at his mother before opening his gift. Hikaru was met with his own surprise, inside was the wind shuriken he had wanted to buy for himself. Looking around for the gift card, the black haired boy found it and read the inside.

"to: Hikaru, from: Sasuke, Because I know you'll do the right thing." shock clearly shown on his face, the boy looked up to see his father reappearing from the kitchen a mug of coffee in his hand. Onyx met onyx as sasuke smiled at his son.

Sasuke mouthed out, "I'm proud of you hikaru" before walking over to matoko to indulge her girly need to explain her gifts to her father.

Smiling widely, hikaru scratched his cheek in joyous excitement. He had managed to make his father and mother proud of him, make his sister smile that wonderful smile of hers again, and he still got what he wanted.

'I can't wait till next christmas!'

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**This was completely unintentional, but I think I made hikaru alot like his father in this chapter, with the whole being selfish phase he was in...oh well. I hope you enjoyed it! the next one's going to be fluffy too, with a twist of seriousness in it though, so if you don't have a sweet-tooth it won't kill you lol. anyways please review! mwuah thanks for reading!**


	4. A mother makes a visit

**... I Love all of you! Seriously I can never say this enough! I had not internet last weekend, so I couldn't see my reviews for this story until monday, and when I did I was like 'wow!' I was so happy people enjoyed chapter 3! and once again it's thanks to those wonderful ever sweet reviews that have made me update earlier than usual again. So here you have chapter 4!! the fluffy serious one. I might add though, I kinda made it a bit of a tear jerker, especially if you're the sensitive type...like me :P it was a total accident but I was watching a certain anime episode and well the rest is history I suppose. Going to the story though, the first major part will revolve around matoko having an interaction with a ghost in the house, the last part is where sasuke has an encounter with said ghost as well. I'll tell you this now, the ghost is a female and knows sasuke very well. lol I so spoiled this for you, unless you can't guess with those clues, in which case yea!**

**Next chapter will return to the humorous side cause I got a bit depressed with this one. For now please enjoy this chapter and review I'd appreciate it immensely! Bon-wee, bon-wee to you all XD!**

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, & xX Alpha Clique Xx. All of these wonderful people are still my muses and I love them dearly for all their support! I hope you all keep enjoying my stories, and I'll try to not let you down:)**

**Disclaimer: If naruto were mine, stupid itachi would've gotten his butt kicked by sasuke already lol.**

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha children are mine so please no stealy!

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January was not a month for training, or so matoko thought, but her father and older brother were once again out training in their household's courtyard. 'They shouldn't be pushing each other so hard, they'll catch something, just like kaa-san said.' the little girl pouted to herself, quickly growing impatient with her brother and father's thick-headed attitudes. She hugged herself tighter, her large cream-colored sweater providing her with more warmth. Her and hikaru had just returned to the academy, which meant hikaru had to return to training his newly acquired sharingan eyes. Though the quiet timid girl was never prone to jealousy, she couldn't help but feel a bit left out watching her twin brother and father train without her. Usually her mother would be here to help her with her byakugan, but her little brother yuki had caught a cold and her mother had left awhile ago to the hospital to get help from sakura. Sighing the girl hugged her knees and pressed herself together, her sad pearlescent eyes watched each kick and punch her father threw at hikaru.

"Hikaru! Your left kick is still weak, your sharingan helps you read the moves of your opponent but your own have to be precise as well, try it again!" sasuke positioned himself again as he stared at his son intensely.

"Hai." The boy nodded his breathes coming it out puffy smokes from the cold air. Positioning himself in the traditional uchiha taijutsu style his father had been teaching him, hikaru began to run full speed at his father.

Matoko smiled softly, her brother's taijutsu has been getting better since her father had started training him, adding to the genjutsu he was already getting. The girl had been the taijutsu major of the two twins and still was, but the thought of hikaru possibly surpassing her in something else made the tinge of jealousy return , making her small smile vanish quickly. The sound of hikaru's kicks and punches, her father dodging each one, the small cries from her brother as his punch and kick made impact, and the crunch of the snow as their ninja sandals touched the ground, went unheard by the small girl as she withdrew herself from the training. She was glad, really she was. Her brother had always helped her with her training when her father couldn't, and he always had patience with her when she needed to practice her gentle fist technique. Still, ever since he had activated his sharingan, her father had completely ignored her, at least when it came to training, and focused all his attention on hikaru.

'I sound awful for even thinking this...I know it's wrong, nii-san would never do this on purpose, and tou-san would never want to hurt my feelings like that...but...I still feel lonely, and left out.'

Her small gasps released small puffs of smoke into the air, and she wiped away the stray tears that had managed to make their way to her eyes. Standing up matoko dusted off invisible dirt from her sweater and decided to go inside the tea room to wait for her brother and father to be finished with training. As she opened the sliding door, she stopped hearing the shout from her brother.

"Ne mato-chan! Where are you going?" he gasped out, leaning on his knees for support.

"...I'll be inside the tea room if you need me...nii-san." her voice came out soft, her back still facing hikaru and sasuke.

"oh, ok! We'll be done soon to join you, right tou-san?" he asked grinning at his father through breathes.

"If you're lucky, it'll be sooner than later hikaru." the shinobi smirked, seeing his son gulp loudly.

Matoko simply nodded, not once looking in their direction, and closed the sliding door, enjoying the chance to not have to look at that painful sight. Hikaru straightened back up and gave a confusing glance at the door where matoko had disappeared. Scratching his head, he turned to his father a concerned look on his face.

"Ne, tou-san, what do you think's wrong with mato-chan, she seemed kinda down."

Sasuke stared hard at the door as well, just as concerned at matoko's strange behavior, "Yes she did, but I'm sure she's fine, no need to be concerned. Now keep at it hikaru, that kick of yours still needs improvement."

Taking one last look at the door, hikaru turned to his father and nodded. Both go into position and continue their training.

Matoko's tears hit the wooden floor as she sluggishly walks over to sit down on the low table. ' I promised myself, tou-san and nii-san would never see these stupid tears, tears that...that show how weak I am.' rubbing off remaining tears with her sweater, the little girl put her head down on the table. Choosing to listen to the ticks of the nearby clock then the punches and kicks from outside. This place had always been a comfort to her, as far as she could remember. Her first word was said in the tea room, the first time she could walk to her father without falling on her little butt, the first time she saw her mother cry after she fought with sasuke, the first chocolate cake she could remember tasting, the first time she felt her father's embrace after a missing nin tried to kidnap her, the first time she was shunned by her father for 'being weak.' Yes it was unintentional, at least that was what her mother had told her, but sasuke had scolded his daughter and yelled out that she was weak. She was only six and soon after her father apologized continuously, regretful for having hurt the poor girl. 'I don't think I ever got over it though...that's probably why I feel so lousy.' more tears formed and fell down her face, this time the small girl made no attempt to try and remove them. She felt her father slipping away, choosing the 'stronger' of the two to train and focus on, and leaving the other to wither away. 'Sometimes I wonder...i...i..ii...if he really ever loved me.' sniffling the girl closes her eyes, trying to make this awful feeling in her chest to go away.

"I girl your age shouldn't have to carry such a heavy burden, chin up sweetie." A quiet angelic voice broke through the tick of the clock, as matoko looked up eyes wide with curiosity and surprise.

A woman around her mother's age sat a few feet away from her. The woman had the prettiest black hair and the warmest black eyes she had ever seen. She wore a long skirt and shirt with an apron tied around her body. Smiling at the small girl she closed the gap between them and placed a cold finger on matoko's cheek wiping away a tear.

"See, that's better, now how about a smile?" the woman patted her head affectionately.

Blinking matoko smiled, something about this woman's presence seemed comforting and familiar. "Th...Thank you...ano...how...did you get in here?"

"I came through the door of course."

"Ne, who are you?" matoko gasped and covered her mouth in shame, "Ano...gomen...I didn't mean to be rude you don't have...have to..to answer."

chuckling lightly the woman shook her head, "It's quite alright, you weren't being rude, I'm a friend of your father's, my name is mikoto."

Her mood already lighter than it was a couple of minutes ago, matoko giggled happily and said, "Mikoto-san, your name sounds almost like mine! I'm matoko." smiling the girl stuck out her hand to shake the woman's hand.

Taking it, the woman named mikoto shook the girl's hand before giggling herself, "Is that so? Well that's a lovely name. Please though, just call me mikoto, san is too formal for my liking."

Pouting slightly matoko replied, " Ne, but kaa-san and tou-san said it's rude to just call someone older than me without the proper suffix at the end..." she closed her eyes in thought for a moment before continuing, "I know! May I call you mikoto-baachan?"

Matoko could have sworn the woman's face became even softer and kinder as she asked her question, "Of course you may, but why baa-chan?"

Blushing the girl looked up the woman, "Well I know we just met...bu..but I was really sad and when you came I...I just felt like everything is ok again, you're umm a very comforting person."

"I'm glad I could help you out matoko." she smiled again.

"umm ano...mikoto-baachan... how..ho..how do you know my tou-san?" she asked shyly playing with a detached string from her sweater.

The girl looked on with concern, seeing the woman's eyes widen for a moment before looking down a deep sadness filling her black eyes, "Well, matoko...your father and I...go way back, he...and I were very close...I haven't seen him since..well he was your age, eight years old."

"Oh, is that why you came to visit him? You miss him?" she tilted her head in curiosity.

"Yes, and no. I did miss him very much, the last time I saw him he was going off to the academy, but I came here for another reason, I just thought I'd pay him a visit while I'm still here." she replied her eyes remaining sad.

"So, what happened baa-chan? Why didn't you see him again?" the girl's pearlescent eyes watched the woman.

"I had to move far away, my husband and I, he's a ninja you see, so he had a mission and I had to move with him. I wanted to say bye to your father, but I'm afraid I never got the chance." her voice came out in soft whispers, almost as if she was trying to suppress a cry.

"...Gomen mikoto-baachan, but now that you're here again you can say hi to tou-san! You just gotta wait until he and nii-san are done..trai..." matoko's voice trailed off as she looked down at the table, remembering why she was so sad to begin with.

Noticing the girl's sudden mood change the woman leaned over closer and asked, "What's wrong matoko?"

"...Ano...nothing, I...un, I don't think tou-san will be coming in here anytime soon that's all." this time it was matoko's turn to look sad as the woman took in the information.

"What makes you think that matoko?"

"He's been paying a lot of attention to hikaru-niisan ever since he activated his sharingan, and now he rarely spends time with me...I know I sound selfish, but I love tou-san, I..I..I just feel like he's forgetting about me, like I'm not as important to him as nii-san is." her tears had returned and she was trying desperately to stop from sobbing.

The little girl was surprised when two white arms circled around her and embraced her, "I'm so sorry matoko, I had no idea, but please don't cry everything will be all right."

"How...how..how do..dd.dd...do you know?" the girl muffled out.

"Because your father went through the same thing, he believed his father thought his brother was more important than him." she rubbed the girl's back softly, trying to comfort her as best as she could.

"R..R..Really?"

"Hai, your father came to me a long time ago and told me about it, I told him that his father felt that he needed to teach all that he could to his older brother so that he wouldn't have to worry if anything happened to him. His father loved him just the same, but felt that your father's older brother needed his help the most. I'm sure your father would never want you to go through the same thing, it would hurt him deeply...do you want that?" the woman waited for the small girl to shake her head before continuing, "So tell him when their training is done, and remember that even though your father doesn't love you the way you may want him to, it doesn't mean that he doesn't love you with all he has." letting go of the embrace the woman wiped away the tears that kept falling from the girl's cheeks.

"I understand mikoto-baachan, I'll...tell tou-san when he and nii-san come in from training." she giggled as she wiped away more of her tears, "Gomen baa-chan I didn't mean to get all upset, I hope I wasn't any trouble to you."

"Not at all matoko, I'm glad we had this talk." she giggled along with the girl.

"Ne, but you're really cold mikoto-baachan, do you want a sweater?" she asked poking at the exposed skin of the woman.

"Don't worry, I'm like this all the time, no sweater will change that...I'll be fine." she smiled warmly at the girl grateful that she was worried over her.

"If you're sure mikoto-baachan." she smiled at the woman as the same hand from before, was placed again on her head.

"You're so beautiful, I'm glad I got to see you at least once." her eyes shined with an emotion matoko didn't know.

"W..w...ww...what do you mean, once...are you not coming back mikoto-baachan?" she grabbed onto the woman's hand squeezing it gently.

"I'm afraid not, you see I can only come by once a year ...when my husband's mission is lifted for a day. Don't be sad though, if you ever feel lonely you can just come to this room and think of me, and you'll feel better." she ran her fingers through the little girl's hair, smiling at her.

"...Ok...but..I know we still just met baa-chan, can...you visit me again, when you come by for your yearly visit?" the girl hugged the woman hoping she would say yes.

"Hai, I will...but I must go now." she let go of matoko and looked down at her, the woman's smile ever wide and warm.

"Ok...but what about tou-san?"

"I'll...talk to him...another time." the woman stood up and straightened out her apron, and began to walk towards the door leading to the main entrance of the house.

"Good bye, mikoto-baachan..." matoko said her voice cracking, afraid to let herself cry again.

"Good bye, it was wonderful to get to meet you matoko, sasuke has beautiful children, I'm sure you three will make him happy, and please say hello to you mother, hinata for me." smiling again, the woman sent her a wink before exiting through the sliding door.

Matoko turned back around in time to see her father and brother entering with a towel on their heads to wipe away their sweat. Getting up the girl scurried over to grab the hot tea to serve them a cup. The two boys sat down next to each other as they watched matoko pour their tea. Both had their eyebrows raised, her face was tranquil and happy, unlike an hour ago. They continued to watch her as she poured herself a cup and sat down.

"Umm...ano mato-chan...you all right? You were acting weird when you went inside the tea room." hikaru asked cautiously not wanting to make her upset.

"hmm, I was." was the girl's simple answer before tilting her head in a cute fashion and smiling, "But not anymore."

"...ok..." hikaru was glad she was back to her old self again, but was still confused as to what made her upset in the first place. "Well, I gotta go take a shower, tou-san pushed me too hard again and now I smell like mud and sweat." he made a face that brought a giggle from his little sister.

"Keep complaining and I'll make you run around the household another three times." sasuke smiled as he heard the grunt from his son as he stood up, patted his sister's head and walked out to his room.

Matoko sipped her tea quietly, content with just having her father in the room. Her peace was cut though when she heard his stern voice.

"I was expecting you to stay and watch that training, it would have helped you improve your own skills matoko, you know that." sasuke sipped his own tea, quietly studying his daughter.

Fidgeting in her spot on the table she gave her father a curt nod, "Ano...I know tou-san gomen, but...umm..I couldn't watch it...th..that's all."

"And why not?" he asked more loudly.

"I...felt...left out..." was the girl's soft reply as she looked down at her tea.

Sasuke's eyes widen a bit as he watched his daughter. "Left out? Matoko..."

"Gomen!!!! tou-san...I..it's...it's...just you..you were...training hikaru-niisan so much...I...I knew you weren't doing..it on purpose..but...I ...I felt...that..maybe you...thought nii-san was..more important to you than me..." the last part was nearly inaudible as matoko wrung her fingers together in nervousness.

Matoko closed her eyes when she heard her father let out a sigh, and closed them even tighter when she heard his feet getting up the floor and walking towards her. Gulping the girl hoped her father wouldn't be upset at her.

"Gomen, matoko...I didn't mean to make you feel less than important than your brother." sasuke placed his arms on her small shoulders, giving his daughter a soft smile. "If you feel like I'm doing this to you again...please don't hesitate, tell me." his eyes looked at hers with seriousness. 'I don't want you feeling what I felt with that bastard brother of mine.'

Nodding fervently, matoko smiled at her father, glad he had understood and didn't yell at her, "I promise I will tou-san, I won't be sad about that anymore! I'm so glad, baa-chan was right, you would never let that happened to me."

"Baa-chan? Matoko your grandmothers are dead...who are you talking about?" sasuke raised an eyebrow at his daughter as he sat next to her.

"Umm, she had to leave before you got her, but she said she'll talk to you again when she gets back of course. Baa-chan said she knew you when you were my age."

"your age?"

"Uh-huh, you probably don't remember her tou-san. She was really pretty though her hair was long and black and she had really black eyes, like yours." the girl giggled as she drank the last of her tea.

Sasuke's eyes looked at the girl with disbelief, "Matoko...did...she tell you...her name?"

"Ano...yea she said her name was mikoto! Isn't it pretty tou-san?! My name and baa-chan's sound almost the same ne?" she smiled, but it quickly disappeared when she saw the angry look on her father's face. "what's wrong tou-san?"

"No...nothing matoko...it's...just...matoko...that...woman...was..." The man let out a shaky breath when he was stopped by the sounds of his son shouting out in the hallway.

"Mato-chan!!!!!!!!! Guess what?! I found kaa-san's secret stash of cookies, if we hurry we can get some before she comes back with yuki!" the door burst open, as a grinning boy with black wet hair panted trying to catch his breath.

"Ne, nii-san! That's rude, don't just go barging in here, you must knock first to be polite! You might have interrupted something important." the girl pouted at her brother, slightly upset that her brother chose of all time now to show up, her father was telling her something about baa-chan.

Laughing the boy rubbed his neck, "Gomen mato-chan...tou-san I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

"It's all right hikaru, it wasn't that important. Besides I can feel your mother's chakra if you're planning to 'sneak' any I suggest you do it now." sasuke grimaced and turned to finish his tea.

"Right! Come one mato-chan we gotta hurry." hikaru sped off in the direction of the kitchen.

Standing up matoko looked at her father, worried with the expression he had, "Ne...tou-san? What was it that you wanted to say about baa-chan?"

"Nothing matoko, now go with your brother, I want to be alone for a bit." the black haired man rubbed his temples, another headache starting to appear.

"Oh...ok...if you're sure...you're not mad right tou-san?" the girl asked timidly from the exit of the tea room.

Looking over at her he grunted and gave his answer by a simple shake of his head. Accepting that as an answer, matoko smiled and bowed at her father before running off to find her brother. 'She must have dreamed it, there's no way...no she's dead...nothing can change that.' sasuke placed his forehead on the cool table, trying to rid himself of these silly immature thoughts.

"You're right, I am dead, but that doesn't mean I can't come for a visit." a soft feminine voice so familiar to him spoke through the silence of the room. His body beginning to shake, sasuke rose his head up slowly, his eyes widened again, his mouth unable to form words he let the only logical thought leave his lips.

"M...Mother."

"You've gotten big...much bigger. You're a grown man now...I'm glad." the woman transparent in appearance smiled at her son warmly, taking in his changed looks.

"How...how are ...how..is it possible?" his voice came out shaky and his words came out wobbly.

"It turns out, my spirit still has somethings to do here, before I can find peace...but I'm glad I get to see you again sasuke." mikoto bend down and placed her hand on his cheek, strangely he could feel her touch.

The hardened shinobi let his facade drop, tears of joy or sadness he wasn't sure which, began to fall from his onyx eyes. "Mother, you've been gone for so long...I...was starting to forget how you look like..." he embraced the ghost woman, surprised that he could, and how much he's actually grown his mother was now so small in his arms. "I...I never thought I would be able to avenge you and father, I was relieved when...'he' was gone...but I still felt ..."

"hurt" she replied her sad smile once again on her face. "Gomen sasuke, it's ok now though, you have a family and a wife that loves you, isn't that right?"

"Hai...I do, mother...I'm sorry...for not being able to prote..." he looked at his mother, her finger stopping his lips from continuing to talk.

"You have nothing to apologize for, what happened happened, even if you wanted to do something sasuke, you were too young...I would have easily died again if it meant you would live...besides." the woman left her son's embrace and looked down at the floor, translucent tears falling from her face, "If anyone should apologize it should be me, I can never forgive myself for leaving you alone so young, you needed a mother ...and...I..." mikoto was surprised herself when two large hands cupped her face in a gentle hold. She looked up to see dark intense eyes stare at her.

"Don't you dare...don't you dare blame yourself for this mother...you did nothing wrong...that bastard itachi is the one who took you from me...no one but him should be blamed." he smiled at her still amazed his hands can hold this nearly invisible woman. "It's ok...you may have left ...but you were always in my thoughts mother...you gave me strength ...so arigouto...for being my mother..."

Mikoto nodded slowly proud at how much her son had matured, how his dark onyx eyes looked so like his father's when he was still young and not consumed by duty. Both wiped away their tears and laughed at how silly they looked.

"You've really grown up, I've missed a lot of your life..." looking outside the doorway she let another small smile form on her lips. "I must be going soon...my spirit is not as stable as before."

"I understand mother...I guess I'm not going crazy by seeing you hear right?" he chuckled lightly.

"No." she giggled amused that her son had such a wonderful humor.

Both turn to see the two uchiha twins running around the hall, hikaru carrying three large chocolate chip cookies, while matoko carried white chocolate cookies. Sasuke smiles as matoko screams out for hikaru to wait for her. Mikoto stands from the table and walks over to the door, her appearance becoming even more clear as the sunlight touches her.

"He looks a lot like you." she whispers to her son.

"...Hinata says that too, though...yuki seems to have come out more like me, hikaru looks like father." he smirks to himself watching as the two twins run back around again, not noticing the woman just a few feet away from the door.

"Hai, you might be right in that...matoko...looks like hinata though..." the woman remained in her spot watching with delight at her grand children's antics.

"She does...but she ...also looks like you mother...matoko helped me remember you again." sasuke stood up and leaned against the opposite side of his ghost mother.

'He's taller now.' mikoto nodded to sasuke as the twins again passed by their cookies almost gone. She focused on her son again as she noticed his troubled look.

"What's troubling you sasuke?"

"It's just...I...would...have at least liked...for you to have been...alive...so you could have held the twins when...they were born...and yuki...now." his eyes held a deep sadness and regret.

Smiling mikoto watched the sun set behind the cold air of the january day. Pushing herself off the door, she went to her son and patted his head affectionately, though she had trouble reaching him.

"I must go now sasuke...I don't know when I will be able to return but..." mikoto walked over to the door way leading to the main entrance and turned to look at sasuke again, "Don't be upset about me not having had the opportunity to hold your three children...you see..." a tear rolled down her cheek as her figure began to disappear, "I already know how it feels to hold the perfect baby..." smiling again the woman waved before completely vanishing.

Sasuke stood on the doorway, the words his mother spoke to him moments ago slowly etching into his mind. Smiling his true genuine smile, the dark haired man didn't even notice the tears once again falling down his face. He didn't hear the footsteps of a woman walking down the hallway, two other scurrying feet following right behind. A shadow appears on the tea room floor as the tears continue to cascade down the man's pale cheeks. A voice is all he hears as it's apparent his wife had returned home.

"sasuke, dinner's going to be ready soon, though my two children seem to have started early." she sent a teasing glare in their directions, causing matoko and hikaru to blush in embarrassment.

Hinata hands over a drowsy yet bubbly yuki to matoko as she notices sasuke's lack of a response. Walking over to her husband she lets out a silent gasp, seeing sasuke's tears rolling down his face.

"Sasuke...honey?" hinata places her hand carefully on his wet cheek, finally gaining his attention.

"...hinata?...when did you get home?" his voice sounded meek and tired, his eyes looked worn out yet happy.

Knowing her husband wasn't right in mind to answer her questions, hinata shook her head and rose up onto her toes to place a small kiss on his forehead, "Dinner will be ready soon..." smiling she left the tea room followed by hikaru who wanted to make sure she made his favorite tonight.

Matoko and a now very much awake yuki stayed behind as sasuke wiped away his tears. Turning his onyx eyes met pearlescent as his daughter smiled at him, "You ok tou-san?"

Smiling at his two youngest children he nodded and patted both their heads, earning a smile from matoko and a giggle of joy from yuki. "I'm fine...I just thought of something that made...me...feel..happy."

"Ok! I'm glad you're happy tou-san. But we better hurry before kaa-san decides not to make us food." giggling she readjusts yuki on her hip, "come on yuki, let's go annoy our older brother." clapping his hands together yuki gleefully tugged on her shirt to go to hikaru.

Sasuke watched as they turned the corner before he himself begins to walk towards the kitchen. A small smile on his face, he turns to look at the tea room again. 'keep watching...mother...they're going to make history.'

As he leaves into the kitchen a small feminine laugh echoes through the tea room.

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**Sad yet happy right? well that's how I felt :) I hope you enjoyed it and there's definitely some grammar mistakes in there but ehh if you can read it it's fine. if I made sasuke a bit occ forgive me I just thought he'd show his more softer side to his mother for obvious reasons. next chapter is another matoko hikaru one! please review and thanks for reading!**


	5. How curiosity got us in trouble

**...I feel horrible ya'll! I'm typing this with a bad case of the cold...or flu...I'm not sure, but the point is I'm sick. Which is why this chapter is so late so my apologies for not having a strong immune system lol. To make it worse, I had to give out candy yesterday for halloween even though my head was pounding, and then my file with a finished chapter 6 of 'Time After Time' was deleted! Deleted is something this girl does not like...but I suppose it's my fault for over using the hard drive ehh. Anyways ch. 6 will be a snap to do since it is my favorite one so far. And one of my reviewers should know what it'll be about :P for now, ch. 5 which was orginally gonna be a halloween special...but...someone had to be extremely sick -points to self- chapter 5 is mostly a flashback of hikaru's exaggerated version of what he and matoko did in order to get stuck painting the uchiha symbols on the walls, as punishment. Lol yes kiddies, they have a bad streak, they just don't show it often cause of their scary daddy. ch. 6 should be out soon, hopefully, so please enjoy my late ch. 5 and it'd be awesome if you all reviewed since all this love I get is like vitamin c for my cold:)**

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, & xX Alpha Clique Xx. MY MUSES EVERYONE, AND THE SOURCE OF MY ENERGY! I LOVE THEM SO MUCH FOR BEING AS SUPPORTIVE AS THEY ARE & HOPEFULLY WILL BE FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS! THANKS A BUNCH GUYS! A special thanks to winterkaguya, and KibaIsHOTT these two talked to me as not just another author but a fellow writer and naruto fan :) so thank you both and I hope you both enjoy this chapter as well!**

**Disclaimer: If naruto were mine, sasuke would have kicked some ass by now :P**

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha children are mine so please no stealy!

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"Nii-san...you said we wouldn't get caught." A small agitated voice spoke to the boy next to her.

"Hai, Hai mato-chan, but even your nii-san can get things wrong." his voice answered as he rubbed away sweat from his forehead.

"But...you said...ugh, hikaru-niisan this is all your fault." the indigo-haired girl pointed a red paint covered paintbrush at her brother who continued to face forward.

"Shut up matoko! How was I supposed to know tou-san was coming early from his mission?!" he shouted at the girl, pointing his white paint covered brush in her direction.

"That's why I told you not to go inside and touch it nii-san! But you never listen to me." the girl pouted at him before releasing a 'hmph' and turning back to continue painting.

"Hai, Hai mato-chan gomen ne, but hey there's a bright side to this." he grinned at his twin sister as he finished painting the white end of an uchiha fan, "At least he didn't make us run fifteen laps around the perimeter of konoha like last time we got in trouble, ne mato-chan?"

Sighing the melancholy girl nodded slowly before beginning a new uchiha fan on the eastern wall of the compound. "Painting two hundred old fans of the uchiha district is still a lot though nii-san we'll be here all day."

"you're probably right...gomen ne again mato-chan" he laughed nervously before beginning another fan himself. "Still kinda hard to believe we got caught."

_Onyx eyes watched the door of a large private room being opened and closed. A tall lean man, with eyes as dark as his, let out a soft yawn from his position near the door, before walking up a flight of stairs to reach the bedroom. The young boy took this chance to quietly creep up to the room and place his ear on the cloth material to hear any sounds. He was startled, when he heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. Feigning a drowsy look, he dragged his feet towards the kitchen doors, which led right to the staircase. Onyx met onyx as the boy gave his father a tired smile._

_"Ne...tou-san..." he yawned, "Are you...leaving for a mission?"_

_A rough hand patted his head playfully as he looked up at his father, "Hai hikaru, I've been assigned an early A-rank mission, I'll be back by tomorrow night." the man chuckled lightly at his son's tired expression, " you look awful."_

_"Hai, we had fire jutsu technique practices today at school, and they had me demonstrate 'the proper way' of doing them." the boy shrugged at his father who lead him into the kitchen, "It was troublesome."_

_"I suppose it was, but only an uchiha can show a true fire jutsu." his father smirked as he handed the boy a glass of water._

_Nodding hikaru took the glass and began to drink. He watched from the corner of his eye as his father packed some water bottles into his bag, and placed it on his back. He let out a satisfied sigh when the last drop of water was gone and placed the empty glass on the sink. Shuffling his feet over to his father, hikaru tugged at the man's sleeve._

_"Ne, tou-san?" he waited to hear his father's grunt as he placed a set of shuriken into his weapon holder. "What's that room that you went into awhile back?"_

_He gave the boy a small shrug and proceeded to leave the kitchen, "It's just another study hikaru..." sasuke stopped as he reached the exit of his front door, "But...If you go near the door, touch it, go inside of it, or even look at it, I'll make sure that body of yours doesn't move for the next two weeks do we have an understanding hikaru?" blood red eyes glanced at the boy's direction making him flinch in nervousness._

_"uhh...h...h..h..hai, tou-san." he replied rubbing the back of his head._

_Ruby eyes turned back to charcoal as he patted hikaru's head, "Good, I'll see you later then hikaru." the man waved off at his shivering son and exited the door of the house, leaving the empty hallway into a silent spell again. The boy turned and walked over towards his bedroom intending to sleep and forget his father's rather disturbing threat. As he reached the forbidden study though, his eyes kept themselves glued to the door, curious as to what was inside. Gulping he placed a hand on the wooden end of the door, but shortly released it. A drop of sweat rolled down the side of his face as he contemplated on his actions._

_'If I'm going to see what's inside this study that tou-san doesn't want us to know about, I'm gonna need help.'_

_The next morning young hikaru sat on his chair, watching the steam from his egg float up into the air. Hinata placed another plate next hikaru, his sister was coming down for breakfast soon. She caught her son's rather strange behavior and poked his forehead lightly._

_"Hikaru dear, what's wrong you're hardly touching your breakfast." she smiled at him causing him to blush._

_"Nothing kaa-san, I'm still a bit tired from the academy yesterday that's all." he grinned at his mother before taking a bite from his egg._

_Hinata nodded and looked over towards the staircase where her rather energized daughter stepped down making her presence known. Jumping happily into her mother's arms she give hinata a small peck on the cheek before dashing over to get her breakfast._

_"Ohayo, hikaru-niisan! Did you sleep well?" matoko giggled as she grabbed her grape juice._

_"...uhh hai, ohayo mato-chan, I did." he returned the smile as he continued eating his breakfast._

_Their mother ate pieces of toast from the kitchen as she looked over a set of schedules for the hospital. She had an afternoon shift tomorrow and had to prepare early so she could go shopping and not worry about it the next day . After making sure everything was in order she went over with a bottle to feed her baby son. She stopped at the table where her two twins still ate, smiling hinata began to speak._

_"Hikaru, matoko, I'll be going shopping after feeding yuki. I'll be gone for about three hours, both of you don't mind staying here alone do you? I would leave yuki, but he's always so cranky in the mornings."_

_"Hai, Kaa-san." both answered as they finished the last bits of their foods._

_Smiling hinata walked off towards the baby's room. Matoko jumped off her chair and picked up her plates to drop off at the sink, hikaru following behind. As they both left the kitchen and re-entered the dining room, her twin brother grabbed her arm gently._

_"Ne, mato-chan...I wanna show you something." he grinned widely at her._

_Tilting her head in confusion matoko asked, "Show me something? Like what nii-san?"_

_taking that as a yes, the boy pulled her towards the 'forbidden study' as he'd named it and stopped in front of the door._

_"Isn't it great?" he asked with a smirk on his face._

_Sighing matoko pouted, "Neeeee nii-san, this is just one of tou-san' study rooms...what's the big deal?"_

_"It's not just a study room mato-chan...last night...before tou-san left for his mission he told me that this room was off limits, if I even considered touching it." he gulped remembering the memories, "He'd make sure I wouldn't move for the next two weeks."_

_Matoko let out a sudden gasp, "...ano...but tou-san never threatens us unless it's really really serious...wait...did he use his sharingan?" her pearlescent eyes widened in utter terror, as she watched hikaru's head move up and down in a slow fashion._

_"I wanna see what's so important in there, that tou-san told us we couldn't see it. I mean he let's us see all the other study rooms he has why not this one?" hikaru placed his finger under his chin in thought._

_"Nii-san...I got a bad feeling about this, we shouldn't do this we might get caught...let's wait till he comes back and then ask him." matoko's expression turned to worry as she tugged at her brother's sleeve._

_"I already asked mato-chan...besides this is our only chance, don't you see? Kaa-san is gonna be shopping with yuki for at least three hours, and tou-san won't be back from his mission till really late tonight." his intense gaze fell on his sister, trying to desperately convince her to do this with him._

_Gulping, matoko looked back and forth between the door and her brother. She looked down and, though she knew she'd regret this very very soon, slowly nodded. Smiling hikaru embraced his sister._

_"Arigouto mato-chan! Don't worry I'll make sure we don't get caught! I'm not the number one rookie of our class for nothing." He laughed as he patted her head playfully. "Now we just got wait till kaa-san leaves to shop and then we make our move."_

_Matoko prayed her mother would change her mind and decide to stay at the house all day, preventing hikaru from executing his plan. Sadly, the girl's luck had apparently run out, she frowned at herself, as she watched her mother and baby brother leave the house to go shopping. 'ne, kaa-san why did you have to forsake me? You were my last hope.' Her pearlescent eyes continued to watch as her mother disappeared around a corner. She flinched when she heard her brother's excited scream form across the hallway. Sighing, another pout formed on her face as matoko shuffled over to the 'forbidden study'_

_she raised an eyebrow as she reached the room. Her brother was just finishing putting on another black glove, as his attention turned to her. He grinned and threw a pair of gloves in her direction. She caught them and stared at them._

_"Nii-san...what is this for? And why are you wearing all that ninja stuff?" though still confused she put the gloves on anyway._

_"Duh, mato-chan, if we get in here we gotta make sure no one finds out especially tou-san. With this we can sneak in and out and we won't be leaving any fingerprints." he finished placing another holster on his pants._

_"Ano...if you say so...I still don't think we should be doing this though." She accepted the flashlight as his brother helped her put on the other glove._

_"Stop worrying mato-chan, we're gonna be fine. Now come on we gotta open the door carefully just in case he booby trapped the room." he walked over to the door and placed firm hands on the wooden frame._

_"Hai, Hai." she went over and placed her hands on the wooden frame as well._

_Tense moments passed as they breathed in and out, readying themselves to open the door. With two large grunts the door of the study was opened, and the cool air from within cooled off their sweaty faces. Letting out a heavy sigh he turned to matoko and nodded, a serious look on his face. She nodded as well and both entered the room. Matoko clung to her brother's black sleeve, as they went further into the room. She heard her brother whisper to turn on the flashlight which she gladly complied. The light soon revealed a normal desk by the corner, and scrolls scattered across it. Hikaru bent over and picked up the scroll finding it to just be a normal written contract, dropping it he continued looking around, directing matoko to point from one direction to another. Matoko on the other hand refused to look at anything choosing instead to follow where ever her brother went. 'I have a bad feeling about this...'_

_as they continued to walk around the, surprisingly to them, large study room. They found a map of the sound village hanging from one of the walls. Ninja weaponry, scrolls signed by other villages, and clothes unfamiliar to them, were all scattered around the back of the room. Matoko wondered what these strange objects were, and why her father never mentioned it. Hikaru on the other hand, was excited about these new things, and what possible secret life his father had. The boy bent down to pick up one of the closed scrolls which seemed to possess the symbol of the rain village. Looking over it, hikaru turned to his sister, who's knowledge of village politics was the highest in their class._

_"Ne, mato-chan, what do you think this is?"_

_"...If I'm co..correct nii-san...i...i..it's a scroll for momentary defeat and alliance...mm...mm...made during an invasion." she grabbed on more tightly to her brother as he nodded and placed the scroll back on the ground._

_"Better not take nay chances and open this one, tou-san probably expects it to be closed all the time..." Hikaru turned to see his sister's shivering body tightening itself around him. Sighing he tried to pry her off, "Matoko! Get off you're gonna make me trip and I don't want to..." His eyes widened a bit as his sister began to cry._

_"N...n...n..Ne, nii-san it's really cold...a lot more cold than it should be ...and...and I'm getting scared what if there's some..some..something in here we're not supposed to know."_

_"It's all right mato-chan...I'm right here I won't let anything happen to you." he held her hand as they continued to look around the back of the room._

_"Ari...Arigouto."_

_as they kept walking, matoko began to hear weird noises from behind her. Hikaru also heard the strange noises but decided to continue, not wanting to miss such an opportunity to see the study. The young girl began to feel the same coldness from before creep up on her, and was stunned when she began to see her breath. Tugging on his sleeve matoko wanted to gain her brother's attention._

_"Nii-san...do..my...you can see..."_

_"Yea I know mato-chan, I can see my breath too." was his whispered reply as his paces began to slow down._

_Both jumped in fright as a rather large slam was heard from behind them. Matoko pointed the flashlight in the direction of the noise, and found the sliding door completely shut. A shiver ran down the girl's small back as she poked her brother._

_"You...you saw that...right nii-san?" she asked , her breath still visible in the now even darker room._

_"Yea...ano...I'm sure it was nothing...just ahh the wind or umm the doors closed on their own." he laughed nervously, fooling himself wasn't working._

_"Forgive me nii-san...but that is the most idiotic thing you have said since we entered the academy, it was even worse than the time you tried to lie about eating the tomatoes in the basket when you were covered with it all over your face." matoko made a face and continued to walk. She didn't make it far before hearing the creaking of a drawer being slowly opened. She turned to see her brother have the same horrified expression on his face as her. She pointed the flashlight in the direction of the noise to see the drawer of the front desk being pried open._

_Letting out a yelp matoko ran back to her brother and clung to his shirt again. She wasn't comforted though, by the fact that her usually calm brother was shivering as much as her. Stepping over to the desk both twins kept their trained eyes on the drawer, watching to see if it made any more movements. A few moments pass as the possessed desk seemed to stop, and both of them release a sigh of relief. Matoko then pokes her brother in the rib cage earning a small cry of pain from hikaru._

_"See nii-san?? this is why I didn't want to go in here. Not only is it forbidden by tou-san...but now it's haunted...we should go."_

_"Ne, mato-chan...I know we should it's just that...th...that I ..I really wanna keep looking this might be the last time we get to see this room." hikaru pouted, but his nerves was making his common sense kick in._

_As the girl was about to protest again, she hears a large metal object hit or scratch against one of the far walls. Tensing she slowly turns her head and gasps, tugging on her brother's sleeve hard she tries to get his attention. He though, was too busy looking over a scroll with drawings of complicated moves he was quickly getting interested on, having forgotten what happened moments ago. He let out a grunt as he shook his twin's hold on him._

_"What now mato-chan?" he asked exasperated._

_"B..b...b..b...b...b..b...bbb...blo." was matoko's incoherent reply._

_Agitated hikaru went back to the scroll, but was soon disrupted from his thoughts as he he felt the same tug of his shirt. "Matoko whatever it is you gotta say, can't it wait? I wanna see if I can memorize these cool moves." he replied with an agitated tone.  
Wide pearlescent eyes stared at the object a mere feet from them as she tried to release the one word that would explain it all, "Blo...blo...b...b..b...b...BLOOD!" she screamed as she pulled her brother forward so he could she what she was speaking of._

_Angry onyx eyes stared hard at his sister before he turned to look in the direction she was looking at. His own eyes widened with shock as a set of fearful tremors went up and down his body. Hitched up against one of the walls was a large shiny metallic katana. Almost the size of matoko, which added to the fear. What terrified the two twins though was not the blade itself, but what was covering it. Dark red, thick blood covered the blade from end to end. It splattered the walls, and made long trails as it fell to the ground. The disgusting metallic smell coming from the katana reached the twins noses causing them to gag and cover their noses to prevent from smelling it any longer. Hikaru tired to grab his sister but she kept stepping farther and farther away from him, looking towards where her horrified eyes were staring at he suppressed a scream. The walls began to seep the same disgusting blood from the katana forming their father's name followed by the uchiha fan being cracked in the middle. Hikaru's knuckles went white from being held to tight into a fist, or from the sudden cold chill that filled the room, he was too scared to tell. His moment of frozen fear ended when he heard his sister's agonizing yell. Matoko collapsed on the ground covering her ears with both hands, her body beginning to rock back and forth._

_"I wanna go now nii-san!! I'm scared, this place doesn't want us in here please nii-san please I wanna leave!! I want tou-san!!"_

_Hikaru gulped and looked down, ashamed for not listening to his gut instincts earlier. 'What kind of shinobi will I be if I can't even protect my sister?' disappointment of himself, hikaru ran to his sister, but was stopped by the same blood coming up from under him and making his feet get stuck on the floor. Squirming he tried to escape but found it to be sticking onto him more. Stretching out his hand he tried to reach over to his sister._

_"Matoko! Hold on..." he gasped as the blood formed tentacles and began to creep up his legs._

_"Nii-san!!! I want tou-san where is he?!" his sister pleas stabbed his chest as her tears began to roll down her cheeks._

_As he tried again to break free and go to his sister he heard a deep voice from the walls say, "Kai"_

_his eyes closed momentarily as a light engulfed the study room. The black haired boy opened his eyes again to find his father embracing a shaking matoko. His own body shook as he steadied his shaky legs and stood up to stare at the study room, free of a bloody katana, scrolls and desk still the same as when they entered, and no blood on the walls or floor. Sighing in relief he looked back over at his sister and father. Matoko had nuzzled herself against sasuke's neck saying unrecognizable words to him._

_"shh, matoko it's all right, I'm right here." cold onyx eyes turned to look at hikaru with disdain and disappointment._

_Flinching from his father's gaze hikaru looked down and closed his eyes in shame. All of this was his fault, but he was still confused as to what exactly happened and why the room seems back to normal. Sniffling matoko nods slowly but keeps her face hidden under sasuke's neck._

_"Ne t..t...t...ttt...tt...tou-san...I thought...I thought something happened to you, there was blood everywhere and..and..and it said your name..." she hiccuped as she gripped her father's shirt tighter afraid he would disappear._

_Sighing sasuke, rubbed her back soothingly, glad that such a sweet daughter as this worried over him so much, but concerened that his son had disobeyed his orders, and took his sister as well. Minutes pass as the young girl falls into a light sleep on the crook of her father's neck. Lifting her up gently he walked over to hikaru who had placed himself on the corner of the room to wait for sasuke to talk to him._

_"Hikaru...you deliberately disobeyed me, and to make it worse you put your sister in danger!" you've could have been seriously hurt in this room, that's why I told you not to enter it!" sasuke's cold loud voice echoed in the boy's mind as he accepted each negative comment his father threw at him, after all, his father was right._

_"...Ano...gomen ne ...father." his quiet voice echoed through the room, not using the usual tou-san meant that hikaru was truly ashamed and was trying to make amends. "I...didn't want that to happen...I realized too late that I had gotten me and mato-chan into a A-class genjutsu." he tightened his fist. 'what's worst is that I couldn't even break the genjutsu, it was father who had to release it.'_

_"Sorry isn't going to cut it, you know that." his hard glare intensified as his son nodded slowly, "This room holds secrets and dangerous objects that both of you were never meant to see, it's a part of my past I keep with me but refuse to show to anyone else." his eyes drifted to the katana on the wall as he spoke. "That katana is the only thing that will be leaving this room in due years, but for now...you and matoko now see why you're not allowed in here, that genjutsu was very powerful if I hadn't come early from my mission you and your sister would've been dead in a matter of hours."_

_Hikaru looked up at his father in shock, realization of exactly what kind of danger he had put matoko and himself in, slowly sinking in. 'The genjutsu was that powerful? I...I...could have lost mato-chan?' he looked at his slumbering sister, who still remained in her father's embrace. Standing up he slowly made his way to his father and attached his arms to his father's leg. Trying hard to hide his sobs he began to speak._

_"Go...go..gomen ne tou...tou...tou-san, I..didn't know. I could have lost my sister...gomen ne...please gomen ne...I won't go in here ever again, I was...just...I'm scared...your name was on that wall tou-san...we...me..and..her thought you..were...gonna die...and..and...leave us all alone with kaa-san and yuki." he refused to look at his father with tears in his eyes, so he continued to hold his leg._

_Sasuke couldn't stay mad at his son, not after this. A genjutsu uses the mind to make the opponent suffer an immense mental breakdown of sorts, by showing them something emotionally painful. Both his daughter and son had seen blood form from some wall, and saw his name being formed by said blood. They feared his death. Sasuke realized as his daughter nuzzled closer to him, and his son had cried for the first time since beginning the academy, that his children were more attached to him than he had thought. 'I'll make them suffer so much, just by dying...'_

_He heard a hiccup come from under him as his son released his hold on his leg and wiped away the tears from his eyes. With a thoughtful look on his face, sasuke bend down slowly and patted his son's head with his free hand._

_"Stop crying hikaru, I'm not dead as you can clearly see, so you'll be stuck with my hellish training regimen for the next ten years." he smirked as he saw his son let out a small giggle. "You're still going to be punished for disobeying me, your sister too...she should have known better than to have gone and follow your stupid idea."_

_"Hai tou-san, I'll accept any punishment, but...can we not make it so harsh? I mean...mato-chan...went through a lot...I"_

_"Calm down, I'll think of something for now, let's get the both of you upstairs to rest, you look like you need it." sasuke pushed hikaru out the door and led him upstairs into his and matoko's rooms._

_Dark circles had formed under hikaru's eyes, and sasuke knew his son needed to sleep now, or hinata would be more worried once he explained what happened to their twins. 'with those dark bangs under his eyes he looks so much more like me when I was younger, and I definitely don't want to see that again.' reaching hikaru's room first, he tucked the boy in and patted his head again, before leaving next door to his daughter's room to put her in her own bed. Both children were fast asleep within seconds, sighing in agitation and relief, sasuke walked back down stairs to close up the study and make sure everything was locked up good and tight. He was met by his wife and baby son as he reached the bottom. Hinata's light pearl eyes looked inside the room, knowing herself what was inside. Shifting her baby with one hand and putting her grocery bags on the side table she looked over at sasuke._

_"How much did they see?" her voice was quiet and worried._

_"A genjutsu stopped them from looking further...it seems hikaru involuntarily activated it." came his monotone reply._

_"Sasuke...are...they.." she looked towards the stairs were her twins slept._

_"They're fine...come on...I gotta a lot to explain..."_

A cold liquid made contact with hikaru as he stopped his storytelling, and placed his hand to see the red paint on his cheek and hand. He glared at his sister who continued painting with a smirk of her own.

"Ne, what was that for mato-chan?"

"You exaggerated that whole story nii-san...it wasn't blood it was black goop, the katana was the size of a refualr sword, and the uchiha symbol wasn't cracked " she replied finishing another uchiha symbol.

"So? The point of the story stayed the same." he stuck out his tongue.

"There was no point hikaru-niisan, you told me a story of something I went through myself. You just repeated past memories." she yelped as cold liquid met her face and the smell of paint went through her nose. Her brother had covered her with white paint.

"Who's the smart-mouth one now?" he laughed as he watched his sister's face covered in paint. His victory was short lived though as he felt the same cold liquid run down his entire body from head to toe.

"I believe I'm still the smart one nii-san." she innocently smiled at hikaru as she climbed down the ladder to find more paint.

Not one to give up, hikaru smirked evilly, and dumped the white paint from under the ladder, right where matoko was walking, covering her with the paint. He began to laugh, as he heard his sister's indignant screams as she stormed off to remove the paint. Deciding he should do the same hikaru climbs down the ladder and follows after his sister.

"Ne mato-channnnnn!? Wait up! You gotta hear the rest of the story I'm not done yet! Wait up!"

Sasuke and hinata turn down a road to check on their twins and their progress on finishing their punishment. As hinata shifts yuki to her other arm, she spots a white blob that looks like her daughter walking towards them. Her husband grunts and sighs at the sight before them. As matoko passes their gazes follow her. She spots her parents curious stares and continues walking waving them off.

"don't ask kaa-san, tou-san! Just don't ask!!" the girl shouted as she turned to walk back to their home.

Sasuke pokes his wife and points in the direction matoko came from, to see a red blob slightly taller than the first running quickly towards them. As hikaru spots his parents, he stops and rubs his neck laughing sheepishly.

"Ne, I was just telling the story again! She didn't have to get so mad! Well I'm off to the house to clean this off tou-san, kaa-san! We'll keep painting once we're done!" he waved happily at them, nudged his baby brother's nose and sped off to find matoko.

A wind blew through the uchiha compound as both sasuke and hinata stare with utter disturbance.

"Hinata...does craziness run in your family...?" asked sasuke as he looked at the red and white footprints made on the ground.

"...N...No...What about ...you sasuke?" hinata laughed nervously as she wiped off some paint from yuki's nose.

"I'm starting to wonder..." was his morbid reply.

"Sasuke dear, sometimes it is best to let things go don't you agree?"

"I need some grape juice." he grunted and turned to walk back to the house followed by his wife who made a rather random comment.

"Oh, last week was halloween sasuke...I guess we missed it."

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**The study room will make another appearance in another later chapter. also does anyone know about the famous katana? if you're into the shippuden chapters it should click, as well as the ohter junk I put in that study lol. I hope you enjoyed this one! and sorry for the lateness again. ch. 6 will be a playdate between matoko and renji uzumaki! yes naruto's son, you're not gonna want to miss it! for now bye and please review!!**


	6. The Uzumaki and Uchiha playdate

**Oh, goodness dear...chapter six was longer than I though it was...the longest 'Time after Time' chapter I've written since I started. Well, hopefully people will still love it. I'm feeling so much better now, my flu is gone, well technically it was a cold, but it felt like the flu to me. Anyways...chapter six my favorite chapter because I introduce my new naruto next generation kids: Renji Uzumaki and Kanami Uzumaki. Though you'll mostly see renji (kanami is more involved in another chapter.) I don't have much to add for this chapter, you'll just have to read it for yourself kiddies! Oh, and if you have any suggestions for new chapters for this story please tell me. You see I only have ideas up to chapter...ehh...15? After that my brain is going pfft! I don't want to end this story either, but my inner muses are leaving and my ideas will soon run out. For now though, please enjoy chapter 6 and I'll try and have chapter 7 out soon! Also if it's not too much trouble I'd love for you to review! **

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, & xX Alpha Clique Xx. Ladies and gentlemen, my muses and the people who I cherish for always giving me their encouraging reviews! Thank you guys, seriously, you are all the best! Winterkaguya-sempai this chapter goes out especially to you, I hope this one is up to your expectations!!**

**Disclaimer: if naruto were mine, well...it'd be mine...but it's not lol**

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha and uzumaki children are mine so please no stealy!

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"Hinata, why is our daughter this excited, so early in the morning?" sasuke asked his face hidden beneath the dark bangs of his hair as he laid his head on the cool table of the dining room. His daughter running back and forth through the dining room and living room was making his head begin to pound.

Giggling hinata places a plate on the table next to her husband before replying, "Forgive her sasuke dear, but today is very special."

"Special huh? How so?" his eyes looked on with boredom as he grabbed a some rice and placed it on his mouth.

Calling out for hikaru to come for breakfast hinata replied, "Today is her and renji-kun's play-date he's coming over in about an hour with sakura-chan and kanami-chan."

Hinata didn't notice her husband nearly gag on his tea as she finished her sentence, and turned to see her husband glare at her with a wet shirt and mouth, "A...a...a play-DATE?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Rolling her eyes hinata placed another plate on the table for matoko, "Yes dear, a play-date, and no sasuke it's not an actual date they're just going to play for the day while sakura-chan and I go shopping with ten-ten for some maternity clothes for her." kissing his forehead she whistled for her two twins who were being unusually late for breakfast, "Try not to be paranoid sasuke, it's not like renji's going to do anything to her, they're only eight. Besides you'll be here all day finishing your paperwork so you can keep an eye on them if it'll make you feel better."

grunting sasuke chewed roughly on a slice of fish as matoko and hikaru walked into the room. Jumping excitedly matoko hugs her mother and then her father before sitting down to eat her breakfast.

"Ne, ne, ne tou-san guess what?!" she asked as she drank some of her grape juice.

His left eye twitching with annoyance sasuke glared at matoko who seemed to not notice and replied, "What?"

"Renji-kun is coming over for our play-date really soon!! I can't wait I'm going to show him my room, and then the dojo, and then the kitchen, and then the gardens me and kaa-san have been working on it's gonna be so much fun!" hinata walks in to join with her daughter's giggles as they both eat their breakfasts, talking about their soon to be here guests.

Sasuke is about to ask, exactly how long matoko plans to be alone in her room with renji, when he hears a very familiar grunt come from beside him. Looking down he notices hikaru have a very bored and agitated look on his face as he pokes a half eaten slice of fish. Grunting again hikaru looks over at matoko.

"Ne, mato-chan what's the big deal? It's just the dobe and sakura-sempai coming." the word dobe was put on emphasis as he spoke.

Sticking out her tongue matoko continued her breakfast, "You're just jealous cause renji-kun likes me better than you nii-san!"

"pff, as if I'd ever be jealous when it comes to the dobe." hikaru replied his already foul mood ruined more by his sister's persistent chabbering over her 'play-date.'

slightly curious and amused by his son's comments, sasuke leans down a bit to reach down at his son's ears, "Dobe? Since when have you been calling renji a dobe?" he asked, finding it ironic at the title hikaru has given his own rival's son, the same name he gave naruto.

A tint of red appeared on the boys cheeks as he huffed and stuffed rice into his mouth, "He started it tou-san, ever since he's gotten a crush on mato-chan he's always trying to 'hang out' with her. I told him the simple truth, that she was too good for him, and he'd have absolutely no chance of getting her. He got mad and called me a teme so I called him a dobe cause he is one." his voice etched out complete disdain towards the boy, at least when it came to involving his sister.

Sasuke sighed, karma seeming to hit him on the face in the most inappropriate of times, 'This just adds the fucking icing to the cake, my son and naruto's have adopted 'dobe' and 'teme' as their new nicknames, someone up there must really hate me...wait...CRUSH?!' whispering back down to his son's ears sasuke asks, "Crush? Since when has renji had a crush...on matoko?"

both males look over at the blushing girl, who talks happily with her mother about her friend and her upcoming fun. Sighing hikaru puts down his chopsticks and whispers back at his father, "He's had it since about a month ago, remember? It was valentine's day at the academy. All the girls gave chocolates to the guys. Matoko got chocolates for all the boys in our class but the biggest bag of chocolates were for me and that dobe renji. Tou-san, if you know her like you do, she came up and gave it to him all smiley smiley with her youthful pearlescent eyes, at least that's what lee-sensei says, but anyways, renji's been hovering a crush on her since. To make it worse the dobe and mato-chan have been close friends to begin with, so he's close enough to her to actually have a chance and..." both males once again look over at matoko, who's now biting into her food, "It doesn't seem like mato-chan is making any complaints."

Nodding his head sasuke tried to resist the urge to run to the hokage tower and choke a certain blond, "It's clear now, so the do...I mean renji is after my daughter's affection..."

"Yea, but I'll make sure he get's it through his spiky little blond hai..." Stopping hikaru raises and eyebrow and poked his dad on the arm, "Ne tou-san? You all right?"

"Yes...why do you ask?" came the slow but angry reply

"Cause you kinda broke your chopsticks tou-san." sasuke looked down to where his son now held, to very much destroyed chopsticks. Releasing a grunt sasuke grabs a new pair to continue eating.

"what was that all about tou-san?" hikaru whispered towards his father as he slurped up some miso soup.

"Nothing hikaru...I was just...lost in my thoughts is all." sasuke's left eyebrow twitched as he continued eating.

Hikaru just stared at his father in scared curiosity. 'I just mentioned the dobe's crush on mato-chan and he's already freaking out, and tou-san was warning me about my supposed over-protectiveness.' Both of them stop eating when they see two nearly identical pale eyes look at them with eyebrows raised. Gulping hikaru notices their intense gazes especially his mothers and turns to his father. Sasuke remained stoic but his eyes held a clear sign of resistance to whatever the girls were trying to see or prove.

Hinata clears her throat and picks up her and matoko's plate, "What were you two whispering to each other about?"

Sasuke noticed the threatening glare in his wife's eyes and challenged them, " Nothing of your concern hinata...'dear', he and I spoke of trivial matters, right hikaru?" his stare went to his son for a moment before looking back at his wife.

Smiling innocently as he drank the last of his juice, hikaru nodded to agree with his father's little lie, "Hai, kaa-san nothing big, just a man-to-man talk."

Unconvinced, but choosing to agree against her better judgment, hinata walked into the kitchen with her and matoko's plates. Sasuke sighs inwardly, his wife has been on his case lately when it came to his overprotective nature with matoko. He was possessive though, he admitted it to himself, and just as he's possessive of his wife he's possessive with his daughter and who or what exactly can touch her. His thoughts were disturbed when he heard a small 'hmph' come from the girl across from him, her cold glare directed at the black haired boy next to him.

"Nii-san you were lying I can tell, both you and tou-san." as much as sasuke wanted to give his daughter an icy look, he couldn't her adorable pout made it impossible. "I don't know what you and tou-san were talking about, but don't ruin my play-date with renji-kun! It's his first time visiting our home since umm...we were like five, I want him to have as much fun as possible." Giving them the sternest look a eight year old girl could she rose from the her chair and ran upstairs to check up on her room one last time before renji came.

"Pff, yea right, I got better things to do then bother the dobe." the same annoyed look was on hikaru's face as he leaped off the chair to go into the living room and catch up on some video games.

Sasuke rubbed the skin between his brows, the pounding in his head had turned into a dull headache. Having kids was stressing him out more than any mission he's had. The man stood from the chair and stretched himself out, trying to figure out how to make this 'play-date' as his wife and daughter put it, the most tolerable experience who could. 'Hn, yea right like that's going to work, my daughter's going to be alone with the dobe's son for about two to three hours, I'll be stuck in paperwork, which means I can't keep an eye on them. I could make them play around my study, but matoko would tell hinata and that would mean me sleeping in the couch for the next two weeks. I can't let the kid get too close to matoko though, hell will freeze over first before I let an uzumaki be with an uchiha.' sasuke had sat down on the couch to watch his son play some car game as he kept trying to find a way to make this play-date not turn into a nightmare. As he watched an idea popped into his head, his son, hated the do...renji as much as he had naruto back in their days at the academy. If irony held true to its definition hikaru would do anything to make renji's life even a little miserable. 'well, it's worth trying.'

"Hikaru." the boy pressed pause on his game hearing the serious voice of his father.

"Hai, tou-san?" he blinked curious to what his father wanted.

"...Would you like me to give you a mission for today?" his father's stoic face remained intact but a glint in his onyx eyes, made hikaru know his father had something up his sleeve.

Feeling slightly uneasy, the boy turned off his game and turned to give his father his full attention, "Ano...sure tou-san, what type of mission?"

Staring at his son, sasuke smirked and motioned the boy to sit next to him. Nodding hikaru walked over and sat on the couch next to his father. The man's dark eyes darted from one side of the room to the next, making sure no one heard the conversation between him and his son.

"Hikaru, you intend to leave matoko and renji alone during the time he's here?" came sasuke's soft but slightly upset voice.

Scratching his head, hikaru grunted and replied, "Ne, tou-san of course I am! The dobe and her can spent as much time as they want. If I hang out with 'renji' I'll just end up fighting him cause he's annoying."

chuckling from his son's response, sasuke ruffled the boy's hair before speaking again, "Well I guess that means you can't be committed to doing this mission. I don't want to put an inexperienced boy into the real world of a shinobi, besides you're not ready." sasuke's eyes drifted to his son, whose body was beginning to shake. Sasuke was known for mind manipulation and his son was clearly no exception. 'I just had to push a couple of those ego buttons and he fell right in, I'm going to have to remind myself to not make this a habit.'

Hikaru felt insulted, his own father thought he wasn't capable of standing renji for more than three hours for a mission? Well, he'll prove him wrong. Holding his posture in a rigid position he turned to look at his father. "I am ready tou-san I can handle anything you throw at me, so I'll do the mission." his dark eyes intensified as he waited for sasuke to reply.

Raising an eyebrow he watched with slight amusement at his son's quick reaction. "All right, I'll ignore my gut instincts for once hikaru, and let you do this mission for me." sasuke's smirk turned into a frown as he positioned himself to face hikaru. Pointing one finger out sasuke cleared his throat and began.

"Here's what you have to do hikaru. It's simple and to the point, even a five year old could do it. Sabotage."

Hikaru blinked in confusion, "S...sabotage?"

"Hai, if renji tries to pull anything such as, inappropriate touching, getting to close to matoko, sharing food, drinks, giving her flowers, all those. All you have to do is make sure he doesn't go through with it completely, if her tries to hug her drop something make one of them trip. Are you understanding me hikaru?" his father stared down at him with complete seriousness.

Nodding slowly hikaru answered, "Hai, I think I do. So tou-san you're pretty much telling me to make sure renji never gets a chance to show matoko that he likes her??"

Sasuke nodded once and gave his son a small smirk, "Exactly."

Frowning the boy shifted on the couch, "Tou-san...I don't know...what if I hurt mato-chan's feelings by ruining her play-date thing, she's looking forward to it."

The man leans on the couch a slight pout on his lips. 'I should have expected him to say that, matoko is important to him, I'm glad he inherited that from both hinata and me, but for this situation it's a weakness.' closing his eyes sasuke contemplated on how to word this right to hikaru.

"Hikaru...I can comprehend your concern for your sister, but understand, if renji tells his feelings and she rejects him...he will most likely not want to be friends with her any longer." an onyx colored eye peeked over at the boy who seemed deep in thought. "And if that's the case, don't you think that will make matoko even more sad? To have lost one of her dearest friends, and all over a simple rejection?"

Hikaru's frown deepened as he contemplated on his father's words. It was true, his sister was emotionally weak, and if renji were to be rejected by her, then he could hold a grudge against her, or worse despise her. 'That would make matoko completely depressed, and I know I don't want that to happen.' Clenching his fists he came to a conclusion. 'Sacrifices have to be made everyday in the shinobi world, and if I'm going to protect matoko, then making sure renji never say a word is what I have to do. Mato-chan will have to understand.'

"Well?" his father's cool voice broke hikaru from his resolution.

"I still think it's wrong for me to be doing this to mato-chan, but I don't want her to be sad over the dobe, so ...I'll do it tou-san." hikaru answered hesitantly.

"Good, as expected from my son, I'm very proud of you hikaru." sasuke smiled slightly, and patted the boy's head again.

Hikaru felt a warm sense of acceptance knowing his father was proud of him. Sasuke turned to see his wife returning from the kitchen looking through her purse. When she spotted the two she smiled but raised an eyebrow at them both.

"Is something wrong? You're both looking at me like you're hiding something." the petite woman asked her voice soft and gentle.

Sasuke shook his head once and stood from the couch to walk over to his wife. "Just another father-son talk hinata, am I not permitted to do that?" he smirked at her and embraced her, placing a soft kiss on hinata's lips.

Blushing hinata giggled and pushed her husband away gently. "I suppose not, but sasuke you're not going to do anything to ruin matoko's play-date with renji are you?"

"No, even if I wanted to I have so much paperwork in that office I'll be in there all day." the man grimaced at the thought as he placed an arm around hinata's shoulder.

Hikaru looked on at his parent's 'gross' affections with boredom and chose to leave towards his room to wait for the dobe to get to his house. He didn't have to wait long, as he reached the last step on the staircase, the loud knock of the front door could be heard. Seconds later the scurrying of small feet coming towards him could be heard. A blur of indigo passed by the boy as the footsteps were now heard going down the stairs. Sighing the boy shook his head and proceeded to go downstairs and begin his important mission. 'I won't fail tou-san.'

Hinata opened the door to see the smile of her pink-haired friend sakura. Holding onto her hand is a small girl with orange hair and bright green eyes giggling at hinata. A boy stood next to sakura, the small semi spiked blond hair blowing in the wind. His blue eyes twinkled with nerves and excitement as he heard the steps of a small girl going down the stairs. He tugged lightly on his black shirt a pinkish blush appearing on his cheeks. Though he was much like his father when it came to his friendly attitude to anyone he met, he also seemed very calm and collected choosing to talk and share his opinion only when absolutely necessary, just like his mother, well when she wasn't angry. Both women smile knowingly at the situation unfolding in front of them. Sasuke glared at the boy then turned with a bored expression to watch his daughter appear on the front hall. As matoko stopped to stop her quickening breath, sakura took the chance to step inside.

"Ohayo, hina-chan, sasuke-kun." she nodded at them both as her two children came in with her.

"Ohayo, sakura-chan, I hope you're ready to go. Ten-ten seems nervous about the trip." hinata smiled as she patted both renji and kanami's heads. Sasuke grunted and gave a small nod to sakura before leaning against the wall.

"As ready as I'll ever be, hopefully she won't be as bad as she was when she was pregnant with jun-chan." sakura chuckled and watched as her son renji walk over with a wide grin on his face.

Both women turn their amused attention to matoko and renji as both children prepare to say hello.

"Hi, renji-kun!" matoko's smiled as she tilted her head in a cute fashion.

"H...Hey matoko-chan." his smile ever wide the blue-eyed boy returned his shy hello.

Giggling matoko hugged the blond boy, causing renji to blush even more. "I'm so excited that you're here renji-kun, we're going to have so much fun today!"

unnoticed by the three children, two strong fiery auras filled the atmosphere. Sasuke's glare on the blond boy intensified the moment his daughter's arms encircled the boy. His left eye twitched with a resounding beat, and his sharingan was activated. 'self-restraint sasuke, self-restraint, you can always take it out on the blond idiot of a hokage tomorrow during our training' on the bottom of the stairs stood a similar sharingan activated boy who's fists were clenched tightly, his eyes bore into the blond's own blue eyes. Renji seemed to catch the death aura in the air, and focused his attention to the black-haired boy by the stairs. Renji stuck out his tongue and returned matoko's embrace. A vein popped out on the side of hikaru's forehead as his fists were clenched even tighter.

Sakura and hinata both watched with annoyance at the uchiha males immature behavior. Hinata sighed as she went over to sasuke to calm him down.

"Sasuke promise me you're not going to let this get to your head? Renji is just a small boy and he's here to play nothing more, you know that." hinata's reprimanded tone made sasuke sigh in defeat.

He calmed himself down, deactivating his sharingan, and answered his wife, "I promise hinata, like I said before I'll be in the office most of that day, I won't do anything to naruto's boy..maybe naruto..." he chuckled as his wife teasingly hit him in the ribs

"All right then..." she turned to give a reassuring nod and smile at sakura, who returned the nod and went over to her son to talk to him.

The pink-haired woman knelt down in front of renji to get his attention, "Ok sweetie, I'll be going with hinata-chan now. I'll be back around lunch time, behave yourself and try not to get into too much trouble."

Renji smiled at his mother and embraced her. "Hai, kaa-san I'll be real good today I promise."

Sakura laughed lightly and patted the blond head, "Good boy, all right I guess we should get going hina-chan."

"Hai." hinata returned her attention to sasuke who still looked unsure of the situation. "Everything will be fine sasuke. Now do you want me to take yuki, or can you handle our baby son." sasuke glared at his wife at the teasing tone of her voice.

"I'm fully capable of handling our infant son hinata, besides if I let you take him sakura will bring him back as a girl." he smirked at sakura's pouting face.

"I heard that you jerk, you're lucky you have hina-chan as a wife sasuke-kun or I'd murder you." a sweat drop appeared on hinata's face as she restraint her friend from strangling sasuke to death.

Releasing a grunt of her own, sakura turned and stomped out of the uchiha household. Her little girl. Kanami right behind giggling at her mother's funny behavior. Hinata sighed and gave her husband a glare which he gladly returned. Smiling the small woman grabbed her purse and left after her fuming friend, closing the door behind her.

Sasuke returned to his stoic face as he watched the three children next to him stare at each other. Matoko was wiggling with happiness and excitement, renji and hikaru remained in there glare stare contest waiting to see who would cave in first. Deciding to end this before matoko said something that would start the two boys off into a swearing contest, sasuke cleared his throat earning three set of eyes to look at him.

"All right you brats, go off and play or whatever it is you do, I'll be in the office down the hall if you need me, and try not to make too much noise or I'll be force to punish you." his cold stare reached the three children who shivered and nodded fervently to escape the man's stare. "Then you may go, I have to check on yuki before starting on my paperwork." the man sighed complaining mostly to himself on the paperwork, and walked down the hall towards the infant's room. As he passed hikaru, both males exchange a knowing glance.

A small tension falls on the three kids as one looks at the other for any signs of talking. Quickly growing annoyed hikaru sighed and spoke. "You heard tou-san matoko, let's go to your room so we can ...show renji ...how...it is." he grimaced the last part, knowing full well that matoko was getting more excited that he would be joining her and renji.

His thoughts were proved right when a small set of pale arms hugged him excitingly. "Nii-san is playing with us too! I'm so happy, now that you and renji are friends again we can have twice as much fun. So let's go!!" giggling she grabbed onto renji's arm and dragged him up the stairs towards her room. Hikaru calmly walked behind them snickering at the image of the dobe being dragged by his sister.

Renji's jaw dropped down seeing the large very purple room of his current crush. Matoko had let go of his arm once they made it inside and went about to pointing at things in her room. The blond quickly noticed that matoko was a very organized girl, unlike himself who's room was far from clean. A set of stuffed animals stood against the far left wall and a desk stood next to that. Papers from their academy and books for them to study were scattered across it. Her weapons drawer was opened revealing that she kept everything else in there organized as well. A paper with red, blue, yellow, and green dots was placed in the middle of the room. Renji recognized the game. 'Twister, we used to play that when were were four.' he blushed as matoko talked about the small pictures hanging on one of her purple walls. 'She still remembers...does that mean...she cares a lot about me?' the blond boy couldn't help but smile wide at his own thoughts. His happy mood though was abruptly ruined by his rival hikaru entering matoko's room.

"A lot of purple huh?" the bored tone could easily be heard.

"Hai, but it's matoko-chan's favorite color, so I don't blame her." renji's blue eyes turned icy as he turned to face hikaru. "You're being unusually nice...'teme'...what's the deal?" the boy emphasized teme as he kept watching hikaru.

The black-haired boy smirked as he went over to sit on his sister's bed. "Look dobe, I'm only doing this for my sister. She's apparently really happy that you're here, if I go around moping at her for you being here and spreading your idiotic habits she'll be sad. So for now ...'renji-kun' I'll back-off from kicking your butt." his smirk widened as he saw the blond boy's blue eyes intensify with anger.

Just as renji was fixing to retaliate, his light blush returned to his cheeks as he heard the sweet voice of his crush speak to him. "Ne, renji-kun? Now that you've seen my room do you want to play twister? You and I used to play this a long time ago hai?" her smile already brought back his happy mood, as he gave his rival a cold glance and walked over to matoko.

"Hai, matoko-chan I remember, the last time we played I beat you every time." both of them began to giggle at the memories of their younger childhoods.

"Hai, but this time I'll beat you for sure renji-kun." matoko winked at the blond boy, not noticing the even redder blush on renji's face.

Hikaru rolled his eyes at the scene, seeing the dobe acting all mushy with his sister was beginning to make him gag. 'Just remember that this is a mission. Tou-san is counting on you. Besides the quicker I make sure renji gets over his crush on mato-chan the less chance I have of gagging.' His bored eyes turned to matoko as she called out to him.

"Are you playing too nii-san?" she asked as she took at the spinner for the game.

"Nah, you go ahead and play with the dobe mato-chan I'll watch and make sure ya'll don't cheat." the last part of his sentence was directed at the blond boy who glared at him before leaning over the game mat with matoko.

"Ok! All right renji-kun are you ready?" her smiled widened as he nodded at her with his ever contagious smile. "then let's start!" matoko twirled the arrow of the spinner. Both of them watch as the arrow began to slow down and land on the word left and the color blue.

"Ok renji place your left hand on blue!" she waited for him to walk on the mat and place his left hand on a blue dot.

"your turn matoko-chan." he looked as she nodded and spun it again. "Ano...right hand on red." she stood up and handed the spinner to her twin brother. "Ne, nii-san do you mind spinning it for us?"

"Hai, I'll do it so go ahead and go over there." the boy yawned as he stretched himself out on the purple bed.

Running over to the game mat matoko placed her right hand on a red dot on the opposite end from renji. Hikaru looked on in boredom as he spun again, the arrow landed on the right and green.

Smirking he looked over at renji. "Dobe, right foot on green." he heard a small grunt from the spiky haired boy as he stretched out to touch a green dot.

Hikaru looked back down and spun again. The arrow landed on right and yellow. "Ok mato-chan your right foot on yellow." the girl nodded and quickly placed her foot on a yellow dot. She giggled as renji almost lost his balance when her foot brushed against his leg.

The game continued for an hour, causing laughter from renji and matoko as they played. Even hikaru who was disgusted by renji's attitude towards his sister laughed along with them, when renji collapsed face first onto the mat. Matoko had fallen on her butt causing renji to roll across the room and land on the opposite wall causing a hysterical laugh from hikaru, and matoko having to convince the blond boy to continue the game, even after his hurt pride. Another hour and a half of the game and the two children playing were in their final round. Matoko had won four times and renji had won five. Eight year olds took their games seriously, as was shown by the intense blue and pearlescent gaze coming from renji and matoko. Even hikaru who had declared this game beneath him, gulped in nervous anticipation. Matoko's left leg was intertwined with renji's right, both their arms criss-crossed with each others, and their other legs met in a parallel fashion. Renji was so into their final match he didn't notice matoko's and his face nearly touching, including their lips. As he looked down, renji's blush covered his whole face, as his eyes landed on matoko's soft lips. 'great renji, you just now notice how close you are to matoko-chan, ok don't freak just don't look at her lips don't look at her lips.' his eyes drifted to her eyes again as they both waited for hikaru to spin one last time. He gulped memorized by her glittering pearlescent eyes.

Hikaru spun again and the arrow landed on left, red. He was about to shout out what renji had to move until he took a good look at the game mat and where the only available red dot lay. His right eye twitched in annoyance. 'You've got to be kidding me! If I tell this last move to the dobe, he'll be close enough to actually kiss mato-chan! There's no way I'm saying it. I would fail the mission and I'd have to kill the dobe for touching my sister. And I know he'll do it, his crush is that persistent.' matoko was growing impatient with her brother's slowness. Grunting she moved her head to look at hikaru.

"Ne, nii-san!!! what's renji's move?" she asked noticing her brother deep in thought

Hikaru grunted but didn't respond. "Niiiiiiii-san...please what's renji's next move?" she asked hoping that would get her answer.

"uhh...left hand red." he absentmindedly answered as matoko thanked him and nodded at renji to make his move. Hikaru's eyes widened as he realized exactly what he had just said. He mentally scolded himself as he looked over at the twisted limbs of matoko and renji. Renji's blush had grown even more making hikaru realize, that the blond idiot knew exactly in what kind of position he was in. ' Crap I can't let the dobe touch her...but...what I can I do?' Hikaru frantically searched the room for anything that would throw off renji's balance, so that kiss would never happen. His panic increased as he saw renji growing closer to matoko as she remained innocently oblivious to what was occurring. The black-haired boy quickly spotted a small whistle on the ground, probably for matoko's training and picked it up. He aimed carefully as to not allow for his sister's well trained byakugan eyes to catch and threw it under renji's right hand. His aim was perfect as he hit his mark, renji lost his balance once the whistle rolled under his hand. He collapsed on his butt, as matoko rose and jumped up in excitement. Hikaru released a sigh of relief. 'good, he didn't get to do anything.'

"Yes!! I won I won! Wow renji-kun this is the first time I've beaten you! I hope you're not too mad at me." the girl giggled as she helped renji off the floor.

Shooting hikaru a quick angry glare renji rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "Nah, matoko-chan I'm not mad, it was a good game and you won fair and square. You've gotten good my student I congratulate you." his famous grin and blush appeared on his face as matoko laughed at his words and gave him a quick hug.

"Arigouto renji-sensei." she giggled before continuing. "How about we go down to the dojo now?" she pulled her hair up into a ponytail as she ran downstairs the two boys walking after her.

Hikaru watched with a triumphant amusement at the glares renji shot at him as they both made their way down the stairs and turned left to the dojo. He could tell the blond was upset of having his moment with matoko ruined, but that was just another objective of his mission completed to hikaru. As both enter the dojo matoko is already in there waiting for them to arrive. Renji smiled as he entered remembering their younger years when he, hikaru, and matoko would watch his father naruto, spar with sasuke-sempai. The fights were always intense but not enough to destroy the dojo. Even though sasuke-sempai accidentally lit the roof on fire with his fire jutsu, during one of the sparring sessions, causing his father to laugh hysterically at the scene. Matoko beamed at them both as she stretched out.

"It's nice for all of us to be in here ne nii-san, renji-kun?"

"Hai, it's been awhile." answered renji as he looked around the uchiha dojo, loving the vast size of it.

"Yea, hey mato-chan why don't you and I spar? We haven't sparred together since last year." hikaru smirked at his sister as he made his way to the center of the dojo.

"Matoko-chan...let me spar with him first...I've been meaning to practice my kicks anyway." renji asked as he placed his hand on the girl's shoulder.

Matoko blinked and looked back and forth at her brother and best friend. Intense blue eyes met intense onyx eyes, as both boys glared at each other. The girl raised an eyebrow and turned around to look at renji.

"Ne...you're not going to get carried away right renji?" her worried pearlescent eyes melted the blond boy's hard gaze.

Smiling he shook his head, "I won't matoko-chan. It's just a little match between friends...right hikaru-teme?"

Hikaru looked at them both as he smirked and nodded. "Hai dobe, it's a just a little match nothing serious, you don't have to worry mato-chan."

Matoko still seemed worried but nodded anyways. She left the two to stand in the middle as she sat on the right edge of the dojo to watch the spar between hikaru and renji. Hikaru rolled up the sleeves of his long black shirt, as renji rolled up his black t-shirt to his shoulders. Both boys walk around in a circular motion their eyes never leaving the other. Hikaru positions himself in the traditional uchiha taijutsu style, his back now facing the front door of the dojo. Renji stops as well and crouches his right arm extended out from his body. Anxious seconds pass between the two before renji runs forward aiming an uppercut at hikaru. The boy manages to dodge with his forearm and jumps back and then twirls down with his leg to throw renji off balance. Blond hair is all he sees as renji collapses to the ground before quickly getting up and disappearing. Hikaru turns and block a high kick from renji, he does a high kick himself but only manages to knock down the both of them. Renji gets up again and clashes hands with hikaru who still has a smirk on his face. A growl of annoyance escapes the blond boy's lips as he manages to kick hikaru off, knocking that air off the black-haired boy for a second. This time hikaru runs and clashes hands with renji as both try to push off the other.

"How does it feel dobe?" hikaru asked through pushes

"What the hell are you talking about teme?"

"Getting your butt kicked again by me...and in front of my sister no less." hikaru chuckled in his ears before separating and jumping away from renji.

"You're gonna regret saying that you teme! I'm about to make you eat your words!" renji clenches his fists before charging at hikaru again.

'His kicks have immensely improved since the last time he and I sparred at the academy.' hikaru thought as he only managed to dodge three of the six kicks made by renji. 'Time for the heavy artillery then.' hikaru jumped over renji before activating his sharingan and positioning himself to attack again. Blue eyes widened as he spots the red in his opponent's eyes, and jumps back a bit to prepare to attack again. Hikaru frowns at renji before charging at him in full speed. Renji is caught off guard as he finds himself barely able to fend off the attack of the black blur that he sees. 'He's reading every kick I got and throwing it back at me.' Renji angrily thought. Everything freezes for renji as hikaru runs over to him and grabs his left arm. Hikaru pulls the blond haired boy close enough so he could whisper in his ear.

"Told you I'd win dobe, remember guys like you who can't even win a decent spar isn't worth my sister's attention or time...don't forget it renji..."

The next thing renji saw was the ceiling of the dojo, he had been back-flipped by hikaru. A gasp was heard as small white socks ran over to him, before his eyes met the concerned pearlescent ones of matoko. He stood up rigidly with matoko's help, who was glad renji was unhurt by her brother's rather rough final attack. Hikaru's face remained empty of any emotion as renji fought the urge to punch the guy in the face. Matoko lets go of renji before looking over at them both.

"Are...A...Are you guys...o...o..ok?" the girl asked nervously, noticing the hatred renji was shooting at hikaru who looked bored at the whole scene.

Ignoring her question renji spits some blood from biting his tongue. "You're more than a teme hikaru, your a conceited, lying, low teme...involving her into this. It's just a fucking spar you dumbass! Besides what right do you have of telling her who she can and can't like?! It's her life not yours hikaru. What's even worse...you...you called me worthless didn't you??! Telling me that I'm not good enough for her...you're...I...I thought you were better than that teme...I really did." renji huffed in and out as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. Taking one last look at the dojo he whispered an apology to matoko before running out of the large room leaving a stunned girl, and a regretful boy.

"Nii...Nii...Nii-san?? what's going on? Why did renji-kun run out like that? And who was he talking about?" she grabbed onto her brother's sleeve gently as he kept his gaze at the front sliding door of the dojo. "I...I should go after him..." as she turned to leave a shaking hand grabbed hers. Matoko looked up in concern at her brother who simple smiled and shook his head.

"You stay here mato-chan, he's mad at me, I'm the one that has to talk to him 'cause he'll just tell you that there's nothing wrong." he let go of his sister and ran out of the dojo. He stopped though as he spotted his father leaning against one of the outside walls of the dojo, carrying a sleeping yuki in his arms.

Hikaru sighed and looked down, and began to speak. "Ne...gomen ne tou-san, but I gotta go and find the dobe and, as much I don't wanna do it, apologize to him for...getting carried away." he looked up to see his father looking in the opposite direction. "I know you're probably upset at me for failing the mission of not keeping renji away from matoko...but...I want her to be happy, and, even though again I hate to admit it, she's happy when all three of us our having fun not just two." he clenched his fists as he walked over to look directly into his father's eyes. "You always told me that a ninja who breaks the rules of a mission is trash, but a ninja who abandons their friends for a mission, is worse than trash. if..if that's true than I'll gladly fail your mission tou-san to bring my friend back...and make mato-chan happy again." he looked back down expecting his father to scold at him, but he was instead met with a small pat to the head. Looking up his eyes widened at his father's smile.

"Good job kid, didn't expect you to learn such a lesson till you were twelve. I'm proud of you hikaru, you made your own decision to help another even at the cost of your own good fortune." he leaned down and moved his head once to the left. "He's at the main garden sitting at the edge of the pond. Go talk to him before his mother comes back and chokes me to death. " hikaru nods and runs off towards the garden. Sasuke turns to find his daughter walking out of the dojo to stand next to him. The black haired man straightens up again, still holding onto his sleeping infant son.

He smiles down at the girl who attached herself to his leg. "Ne, tou-san?" she waits for him to grunt his answer. "Do you think renji-kun and nii-san will be friends again? Even after they fought today?"

'If only you knew who they were fighting about.' sasuke mentally laughed as he looked down at matoko again. "Hai, I'm sure everything will be fine, you're squeezing my leg too tight matoko, let's just wait for them in the kitchen." sasuke began to walk towards said destination, little feet following after him.

"I hope you're right tou-san...I hate when they fight over someone like that." matoko grabbed onto her father's free hand.

Chuckling sasuke replied. "Honestly, the things they do for you." his smile widened as he looked down at his daughter's innocently confused face. "You and your mother have an ungodly gift to bring the worst out of any man and boy alike. Which is great news for your father." matoko laughed at the sour expression sasuke wore at his own realization.

"Tou-san...were you there the whole time renji-kun and nii-san fought?" matoko looked on in even more confusion as her father ignored her question, but smirked as they kept walking.

Hikaru soon found the blond hair of his rival sitting near the edge of the koi fish pond, just as his father said. Sighing to himself hikaru leisurely walked over towards renji before sitting himself next to the boy. He quickly noticed renji's body flinching from his presence before a strong mad aura filled the air. His right eye twitching hikaru grunted and turned to look at the opposite end of the pond before starting.

"Look I'm sorry ok? You don't have to be so damn upset about it."

Looking at hikaru with a disbelieving stare renji replied. "Yea right like I'm gonna believe you after what you said to me teme. Go be a dumbass somewhere else will ya?"

"Sorry can't, that's your job. Mines being the guy who condescends on everything you do, making you annoyed and then you end up doing something embarrassing but funny." renji laughs at that as hikaru smirks.

"So you're serious teme? You're actually apologizing?" renji turned to look at his black haired companion.

"Yea, cause it's 'actually' my fault this time, but don't think this is an everyday thing dobe. I got a reputation to uphold, and apologizing to idiots like you isn't in the list."

"And listening to your pointless threats after you beat me in a spar isn't in the list of how to uphold the reputation of a dobe either." renji grinned at the brooding boy who realized he had walked himself into a blackmail threat.

"You've learned well since the last time I blackmailed you uzumaki, good job."

"Ya think so uchiha? Well thanks I have great teachers." both laugh again as they stand from the pond.

"So, we're even dobe?" hikaru stuck out his hand.

Grinning renji gladly accepted his comrades hand, "Hai, we're even...don't think I'm giving up on matoko-chan though, I'm still fighting for her affections!" renji rubbed the back of his head and pouted as hikaru punched him.

"Wouldn't have it any other way dobe." hikaru smirked as both began to head back into the uchiha household.

"you didn't have to punch me teme!"

"Huh, you want me to punch you again? Well if you..." hikaru burst into laughter again as renji ran ahead of him to avoid getting hit.

The next two hours of renji's visit to the uchiha household went smoothly and without much incident.

Matoko had made her mother's homemade ramen, to she her apology to renji as well. Which brought a extremely happy and blushing uzumaki boy, a brooding uchiha who tried to avoid showing signs that he actually loved his sister's and mother's ramen recipe, and an even more brooding older uchiha who ate the ramen but kept imagining strangling a certain hokage to death, to the table. The three kids helped sasuke organize his scrolls in his main study, of course renji tried to help matoko get up into a higher file cabinet, by pushing her up on her hips. Which caused renji to get another lump on the head from hikaru, and sasuke forbidding matoko from placing any other scrolls on the top cabinets. The game of tag also went well for the three kids, who constantly hid in the vast rooms of the uchiha residence to avoid getting tagged. Renji had accidentally tagged the oldest uchiha, which brought laughter to matoko and hikaru as they watched their father chase a very frightened renji around the house for having forced him into the game. Matoko had to change yuki's diaper around the last half hour of renji's visit. The baby boy who's eyes looked as mischievous as his father's when he was in a good mood, wet his brother's and renji's faces every time matoko looked away. The two boys now don't go near any babies that are being changed.

Hinata and sakura enter the house to, surprising to them, a quiet hall. Placing their bags down hinata leads sakura and her daughter kanami down towards the living room. As they enter they find sasuke sleeping with a baby yuki chewing on his father's hair. Matoko is lying on the carpet covered with a blanket, on either side of her holding each of her hands, is a sleeping renji and hikaru. Both women try to hide their squeal at the kodak moment in front of them. Sakura shushes kanami, who giggles and nods in understanding, before the pink haired woman takes out her camera. Hinata joins in the fun and goes to grab her own camera. Sakura tip toes over to the sleeping trio while hinata walks around the couch to get a good angle picture of her husband and baby son. Looking at each other both women finger out to each other. 'three, two, one.' two flashes and clicks are seen and heard as the pictures are taken. Sasuke opens his eyes quickly and looks around in a daze as yuki lets go of his hair to beg his mother to carry him. Bubbly baby words leave his lips as hinata finally picks him up. The three children have at that point stood up from their short nap and yawned. Sasuke eyes the cameras both his wife and sakura carry. Lifting himself off the couch and stretching he asks.

"What did you two do with those cameras?" four sets of eyes land on sakura and hinata who wink at each other.

"Nothing sasuke dear, we were just talking about exchanging some photos right sakura-chan?"

"You're absolutely right hinata-chan, you need to stop being so suspicious sasuke 'dear'." the sarcastic endearment at the end earned sakura a death glare from the groggy uchiha.

Choosing to ignore it, sakura placed her camera back in her purse and walked over to her son. "Renji did you have fun today?" the blond boy walked over to his mother and hugged her before nodding.

"Hai kaa-san I had tons of fun, hikaru and matoko-chan showed a lot of cool things."he grinned at his friends who smiled back.

"I'm glad, but we should get going, I promised your father we'd meet him for lunch." sakura smiled as renji's happy mood increased ten-fold.

"we get to see tou-san today?! Oh, boy! Then let's go I wanna tell tou-san about my day!" renji tugged on his mother's skirt hem.

"all right all right. Well hinata-chan thanks for going with me, I don't know what I would have done when ten-ten had that anger tantrum at the shop if you weren't with me." sakura smiled as she remembered the incident.

"Hai, I'm just glad we managed to get that poor cashier out of ten-ten's death grip." a sweat drop appears on sasuke, hinata, and sakura's head.

"I can tell you both enjoyed that trip with lee's wife." sasuke's sarcastic reply caused both women to sigh.

"well thanks for taking care of renji for me sasuke-kun, even though I have a feeling you didn't enjoy it." sakura smiled at sasuke as they reached the front door of the house.

He grunted and went to help hinata carry yuki. Renji went and hugged matoko, who giggled, causing renji to blush. He then shook hikaru's hand, each one squeezing it tight to see which one would cave in first. The uzumaki's waved their last goodbyes as they went down the street to leave the uchiha compound. Matoko and hikaru quickly ran over to the living room to help their mother unpack her shopping bags.

"Ne, kaa-san, kaa-san you know what happened?" matoko eagerly asked as she removed a shampoo bottle from the bag.

"No sweetie, what happened?" hinata asked back as she sat down next to her husband on the couch, yuki in his arms once again chewing on his father's hair.

"Nii-san and renji-kun had a really bad spar today at the dojo." matoko said as she took out a new set of socks for yuki.

Raising an eyebrow hinata looked over at her husband who seemed to not be paying attention. "Is that so? Why? What did they do?"

"I don't know, but they fought over a girl, how immature right kaa-san?" matoko glared at her older brother who gladly returned the glare.

Blinking in surprise, hinata once again looked at her husband, who looked back at her his onyx eyes twinkling with familiarity. The small woman smiled sweetly at her daughter before saying.

"I'm sure the girl they were fighting over was very much worth the fuss matoko."

"Huh? But kaa-san..." the young girl pouted as her father and mother smiled at her with a twinkle in each of their eyes. She turned to her brother, who smirked and patted her head gently before going back into the bag to take out more of the things bought by his mother.

"Neeeee, kaa-san, tou-san, nii-san you are all mean...I don't get it do you know who the girl is? Who is she?" she looked back and forth between her parents and brother, getting no answer.

Sasuke and hinata began to laugh, as matoko once again pouted, thinking it unfair that her parents wouldn't tell her who the girl was that renji liked. Hikaru soon joined in the laughter, now leaving a confused and annoyed girl to pout and wonder who the mystery girl is. The last thoughts of hikaru on matoko before he goes to help his mother pack her bought items are.

'Don't worry mato-chan you'll learn soon enough.'

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**And...cut! that's a wrap for ch. six my friends! I hope you've all enjoyed my longest chapter for this story..thing...that..I made... -cough- right. next chapter will be a mother and daughter moment between matoko and hinata cause the hyuga momma needs the spotlight too ya know! lol also...I have a short drabble about a page long but I'm not entirely sure if I should make it into a independent chapter or put it in the end of a major chapter, so please give me your opinion. oh and review please!**


	7. when did papa and mama fall in love?

**Hello again my friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I also hope you all stuffed your faces with food! Like I did -rubs tummy- yumm! Anyways I have chapter 7 for all of you as an after Thanksgiving treat...or not if you don't celebrate it lol. As for this chapter, hinata and matoko have a talk about how she and sasuke fell in love with each other. So it's sort of a mother/daughter bond thing since matoko doesn't know much about hinata's past. I decided that the flashback of sasuke and hinata's story will be in hinata's pov and then a slight narrative over take before going back to hinata's pov again. Also...for any neji/hina fans...sorry...he marries hanabi-chan and he's also head of the hyuga clan...cause that's how it works in my twisted little mind. If you don't like this arrangement I apologize in advance. About how sasuke and hinata met and fell in love...some of it is from a story I was starting, but sort of let it drop since I was already on overload with this story and my inu/kag one. I might pick it up again if I ever have time (which I doubt will happen anytime soon.) So for now, enjoy chapter 7 and chapter 8 will be out as soon as I stop feeling like a bloated balloon lol. Oh and please I'd be honored and extremely happy if you reviewed!**

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, & xX Alpha Clique Xx. -clears throat and picks up a huge sign- Yes these people are my muses and I am very thankful for them, otherwise I'd never would have continued this story. So once again thank you for loving my story I hope I continue to make you laugh and cry from the sheer cuteness of the uchiha kids! **

**Disclaimer:if naruto were mine, sasuke would have already debunked the 'sasu/naru pairing!**

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha children are mine so please no stealy!

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"Kaa-san?...Kaa-san?" the groggy voice of a small indigo-haired girl echoed through the halls of the uchiha compound. Upon hearing no response the girl continued walking towards the living room repeating her question, "Mama? Where are you??..." her droopy eyes widened with happiness when she saw her mother's figure sitting leisurely on the large couch.

Hinata turned her head slightly to see her daughter looking at her with a sleepy but happy smile. Returning the smile the woman asked, "What is it matoko dear? Come...sit down with your mother." patting the empty seat next to her, hinata's smile widened when her daughter quickly scurried over to sit with her. Still wearing her clothes from the academy matoko dangled her legs out from the couch, waiting for her mother to stop her knitting to ask her something.

"Kaa-san...how long have I slept since I got home from school?" curious pearlescent eyes watched each stroke her mother's needle made as she continued to knit.

"hmm...ano...about three hours if I'm not mistaken dear, why do you ask?" her mother's eyes moved towards her for a moment before returning to her knitting.

Shrugging a shoulder matoko leaned against her mother's body, smiling at how comfortable her mother still was even after letting go of this habit a long time ago. "just wondering kaa-san, it was too quiet when I woke up so I thought maybe it was already the next day in the morning." she giggled at herself as she heard the small rumble of her mother's chest as she too giggled.

"I can't blame you for believing that matoko, your father and hikaru do make more noise than necessary and they're still very quiet men...but to lessen your troubling thoughts sweetie, your father took hikaru to a clan meeting over with the hokage about an hour ago." hinata stopped her knitting and opened her right arm to let her daughter place her head on her lap.

Accepting her mother's kind gesture, matoko placed her head down on hinata's lap her eyes now looking up towards her mother and the ceiling. "Ne...mama?" the girl waited to hear her mother reply with a "hmm?" before continuing, "you used to go to clan meetings too right?" her pearlescent eyes wandered to her mother's much clearer eyes to wait for an answer.

Smiling hinata slowed down her knitting knowing her daughter was going to be asking for some sort of story of her life soon. "Hai, when I was still a young teenager I would go with tou-sama to prepare myself once a took over as the head of the hyuga clan."

"Why don't you go now mama? You are the umm...matrix of the uchiha clan now ne?" matoko raised an eyebrow as her mother stifled a giggle.

"You mean, 'matriarch' matoko dear, and yes I am but my duty is to my students and my home...I chose to not go to those meetings anymore, besides the meetings are very boring." hinata let out a soft sigh and continued knitting.

"And now neji-jiisan is the head of the hyuga clan...but..he's umm an..umm bra...nch...member right?" matoko asked slowly not fully understanding her own question.

Hinata raised an eyebrow as she kept knitting, "Hai, but he's married to hanabi-chan sweetie, therefore by hyuga law the head of the clan can be given to either one. And hanabi chose to give it to neji-niisan."

hinata smiled as matoko mouthed out an 'oh' before asking another question. "Ne, mama if that's true couldn't you have married neji-jiisan and gained the position too?"

"I could, and most likely would have and If I hadn't already been engaged by my eighteenth birthday." hinata let out another giggle when her daughter's pearlescent eyes glittered with glee and excitement.

"Ano sa, ano sa mama?! You married papa when you were eighteen?"

Shaking her head hinata placed her knitting down and looked down at her daughter. "engaged matoko...I married him when I turned nineteen."

"...did obaa-sama get mad at you for marrying papa?"

"...not exactly, he was upset that I 'left my natural right as heir to marry a low-lying uchiha traitor..." hinata smiled as she noticed her daughter's worrying glance. "But don't worry you and hikaru changed his mind, especially you...you did inherit the byakugan." both females giggle at the man's selfish desires for his grand-children's appearances.

"Mama...why...did..hiashi-obaasan say that about papa though?" hinata's eyes widened as she looked back down at her daughter.

"Well...your father...made a lot of mistakes in his younger life...that made many people believe he wasn't worth knowing or helping anymore...that included my father." the woman smiled down at the girl and began to stroke her hair gently. "Don't worry though, after all these years your father's managed to gain back the village's trust...and he's making amends for his past mistakes.."

Smiling the girl closed her eyes to enjoy the feel of her mother's fingers stroking her hair. "...hmm that's good...cause papa is a good person...ne...mama?"

"Hai?"

"...when...when did you fall in love with papa?" a pearlescent eye opened to look at her mother, who continued to stroke her hair.

A thoughtful expression fell on hinata's face. "I...I suppose it was...when ...he saved me."

Matoko blinked in confusion, "...Saved you mama?"

Laughing at herself hinata stopped stroking her daughter's hair for a moment to think. "Hai...it's a very long story to explain though..." she sighed and smiled when her daughter gave her a pleading look, "But I guess there's no harm in telling you." moving her body into a more comfortable position while still keeping her daughter in her lap, hinata cleared her throat to begin.

_Well, I suppose I'll start at the point where your father and I had already been slightly acquainted with each other through our anbu status. You see, in order for me to be a respectable clan leader I had to have had some experience as an anbu member. Your father and I had been assigned to the same team and we both worked as vice-captains for our team, which led to some disagreements but nothing too serious. Of course I didn't mind back then, because sasuke knew naruto and that meant I could talk to him and see him around more._

"you had a crush on the hokage mama?!"

_Hai, hai matoko I did. It lasted for quite some time too...almost six years if I remember correctly. As I was saying, though I took my anbu position seriously...the opportunity to see my idol and crush naruto up close almost everyday, began to become more important to me. I'm sure your father knew of my crush on his team mate and used it against me when I lacked concentration out in the battlefield. Back then I was a stuttering mess, and couldn't even give him a coherent response, so I chose to ignore his insults and focused on what I thought was important at the time._

Stopping for a moment the indigo haired woman's eyes grew slightly sad as she dug deeper into her memories.

_It was shortly after I found out that naruto was transferring over to your father's and my team did things begin to...go down hill. I was extremely happy that naruto would now be going on missions with us, it was golden opportunity to show him how much stronger I had gotten. Your father had told me he had grown a crush on me by then and though I think he hates to admit it to even himself, he was jealous of the attention I was giving naruto. Sasuke got so angry at the sudden addition of his team mate and my increasing lack of attention to our paperwork and missions, he challenged me to reveal my feelings for naruto. At first I denied doing such a thing, not having enough backbone to tell him face to face. But your father had a way with rude and persuasive comments to convince even the most hard-headed of people, and I ended up agreeing to his challenge. I chose to tell him after one of our easier missions was completed, and waited till the rest of our team went to take a break at a near by rest stop tea shop to tell him my feelings. If you know your hokage well matoko, you'll know that he wasn't the easiest person to talk to when you're trying to say something...without actually having to say it...he was a very clueless man. Adding my stuttering problem around it made it worse, but after much misunderstood words, and confusing questions I finally manged to tell him how I felt. Things didn't go as I thought they would. It should have been obvious to me that naruto felt absolutely nothing for me beyond a strong friendship, deep down I knew that, and I knew that he was in love with sakura-chan. Still it hurt, it hurt deeply when his eyes widened and then looked down with a look of pity and remorse I absolutely hated to see directed at me. I...managed to stay long enough for him to reject my feelings, but I ran off shortly after, it was too painful for me._

"did you cry ...mama?"

_Hai...I did...but not in front of everyone. I sped past your father, and our captain, running as fast as I could to get home and run into my room and cry out all of my pent up sadness. I'm sure sasuke didn't let naruto get off making me cry like that, but ..he's never told me. Well, after all that dramatic scenes in my life I thought I had gone through it all, and I could start to heal emotional scars, but I again was wrong. Three days after my confession to naruto, I got some unpleasant and unwanted news from my father. My eighteenth birthday was coming up, and I either needed to improve my skills and reach anbu captain within the year and a half, or I'd give up the throne to my sister hanabi and let myself be marked by the curse seal. My already crushed pride, was stomped even more by my father's cruel but true words. I needed to be a strong shinobi, so that I could gain a strong husband to marry and run the hyuga clan with me. As I walked back to my room I laughed at myself, because when I was younger I had always thought of naruto marrying me and helping me with the clan. And just like everything else at that point in my life, I was wrong._

"So what happened mama? Did you get to see papa and naruto-sama again?"

_To my disgrace back then, yes. After taking a sickness leave on my missions I returned to my duties as an anbu. Let me tell you sweetie, I dreaded every moment of that day. The looks of pity naruto gave me when he thought I wasn't looking, the stares of slight worry your father gave to me when he and I partnered up to do a mission, and the looks of the few shinobi of the rookie nine that had found out, it all sickened me and made me hate myself more for being so weak and stupid. Yes, my self-esteem had gone down the sink after naruto's rejection, but I tried to not make it as obvious that I was clearly hurt. I didn't talk to naruto or sasuke during our missions, though both tried to get something out of me. Sasuke was the first to give up shouting at me for being a spoiled girl that was denied her sweets, and he shouldn't have even tried to be nice to me by trying to talk me out of my stupor. After he had run off, I laughed realizing how true his words were. Two weeks passed after that, and everything went back to normal, at least ...to everyone else it did. Though sakura apologized to me countless times, she had accepted naruto's offer to be his girlfriend and they began to date. Your father distanced himself from me, he must have been disappointed at how weak I had appeared to him for letting myself get so affected by naruto. Before I could even stop it, everyone had began to distance themselves from me. Shino-kun and kiba-kun had other important things to do in their lives, and they too also seemed disappointed at how I let myself be changed by naruto. Neji-niisan and hanabi-chan tried to comfort me as well, but I knew they had their own lives to take care of. So as the weeks kept passing, I began to distance myself from them. My friends, didn't deserve to have their lives ruined by my own worthless one, I told myself so many times. Back then I didn't know that all that emotional stress was a horrible thing for a hyuga mind. Our eyes, I realized, wasn't the only sensitive thing we possessed. It was after yet another refusal to neji-niisan to go to a party the rookie nine had planned for naruto's birthday, that things began to spiral downward at a faster rate than before._

"Ne, Ne...ne...what happened mama? Did someone hurt you??"

_No, my...memories began to fade away. Hai, matoko my memories. My mind was so stuffed up with the stress of my job as anbu, the pressure placed on me by my father, and the still pounding ache of naruto's rejection that it seemed my mind just gave up and began to shut down. At first I thought of it as nothing more than simple stress. From time to time, it took more thinking to remember shino-kun and kiba-kun's name, their faces had become somewhat blurry. When I saw sakura and naruto in the street, I couldn't remember their names, until I heard lee-kun shouting out their names from behind me. I don't think they noticed the blank looks I gave them, since most of everybody still thought I was taking the rejection hard. But you see, by that point, I didn't even remember the rejection or who I had told my feelings to, to begin with. I didn't start to get worry, until I began to forget my own family's names and faces. It happened on the second day of november if I remember correctly. I woke up from my bed and didn't recognize my room, I walked out slowly from there and walked downstairs to see if my memory would come back. It did but when I saw my father and sister walking over to the dining room for dinner...I didn't know who they were._

"Mama...you...just forgot?"

_Hai, neji-niisan also seemed a stranger to me. When I sat down next to who I thought must be my sister, all three of them gave a look of worry as I glanced from side to side wondering why their faces were so blurry I couldn't even see their facial expressions that well. I could tell that neji-niisan was the one who was the most suspicious since his eyes didn't leave me once during breakfast. I on the other hand was more worried about was happening to me. These people were my family I knew that, yet I didn't recognize them as such, to me they were just people that were sitting next to me for breakfast and nothing more. It was shortly after that incident that neji went to inform the rest of the rookie nine of my sudden decline in mental health, as he put it. If I had remembered who they were back then, I would have been completely embarrassed at their stares as I walked into the restaurant where neji had convinced me to go with him for a small gathering. It was ...scary matoko, those faces that seemed so familiar, yet weren't it was hurting more than the rejection I had received by naruto. I didn't know what neji had told them, but they were giving me those same pitied looks naruto gave me, and though back then I didn't know why, it was killing me to see those look directed at me, again. The gathering didn't go well, I was scared of them. Each one of their faces were so blurry and unrecognizable to me, as they tried to get nearer to me I was backing away. Lee-kun, ten-ten-chan, ino-san, chouji-san, shikamaru-san, sakura-chan, naruto-kun, kiba-kun, shino-kun, and...sasuke-kun, all of them I didn't know who they were or why they seemed to know me. All I knew at that moment, as they tried to get by my side and talk to me, was that I had to run, run as far away as possible from these people. They were the ones causing my chest to hurt painfully, the ones that made my mind tell me that they had abandoned me when I needed them the most, most of all though it was those black blurry eyes that seemed shocked and scared, it was those that made me fear them even more. With tears running down my face...I quickly ran off from the restaurant, their voices shouting at me to wait. I could hear quick footsteps running after me, and I got more scared. I didn't look back to see who it was that was chasing me, but I knew that I didn't want to get caught by any of those strangers, those people that made me want to cry even more. As I reached the northern exit of the village, I saw four blurs surround me from all sides. I recognized one as the person I called neji, the one next to him had wild brown hair, but the last two were the ones that made my heart drop to even lower low. Their faces somewhat clearer, I started to back away from them both. Naruto was the one affecting me the most, I knew he had done something painful to me, for me to have such a violent reaction to his face. Sasuke was just the same, his face was in an unusual scowl, like he was trying to read into my mind, trying to figure out what was going on with me. I'm sure he was worried of me to some degree though, he kept mouthing out my name whenever I took a step back. It was their eyes though, that threw me off completely. Sad blue eyes looked at me with pity, and intense onyx eyes showed pity in my direction as well. For whatever reason back then, I knew that I hated that sense of human worry directed at me, whether or not I knew who these men were. I remember shaking my head in a rapid pace and poofing my way out of the tight loop those four had surrounded me in, and reappearing in a rather empty looking part of the konoha cemetery._

"Ne...mama..why a cemetery?"

_To this day I don't know, but it was a good thing my mind back then decided to transport me there. I...got to see someone I had neglected after my fifteenth birthday. The part of the cemetery I had ended taking myself to, was right where my mother was buried. Her gravestone was covered with some weeds, and the flowers I had placed there had already whithered away. I didn't know who this hyuga woman was, but I knew that she was important to me, and that for some unknown reason I felt comfortable being at the grave. I must have stayed there for the whole day just looking at the gravestone, running my fingers over that woman's name. It would make sense for me to have felt so close to it, since it was my mother buried there, but I didn't remember. After the sun had gone down I went back to the hyuga compound, hoping to go to my room quietly. But as you clearly know matoko dear, things don't always go like you want them to. My father or who I assumed was father at the time, was waiting in my room, with a worried hanabi and neji-niisan. Again, their faces were blurry and it took a lot for me to remember their names and what name belonged to who. My sister hanabi, held my hand the entire time my father interrogated me with strange and discomforting questions. What made me truly realize something was wrong with me though, was that I couldn't answer a single question right...I couldn't even remember my sister's own birthday. All memories that I held inside my mind at the time, was my own personal information, anything besides that was completely locked inside my subconscious. I knew this man that was my father, was worried my mind was slipping away, and soon I wouldn't be able to hold the position as head of the hyuga clan. He had decided to send a hyuga psychiatrist to visit me the next morning, and that I had to remain in my room for the time being. I didn't argue, since in truth I had nothing to argue about. So after the three of them left, I stayed in my bed trying desperately to remember those people I had seen that day. Before long though I was mentally exhausted and I ended up falling asleep. It was then that things got from worse...to even more worse. I found out about the time that you and your brother were born, that the hyuga have such a strong defense against most genjutsu that their mental capacity to do abnormal inhuman things, were so high that it was becoming a normal occurrence for hyuga, who were losing control of their minds, to create clones of ninja or of anyone in particular; and for said clones to attack or even kill the hyuga that had created them._

"That...happened to you...mama?"

_...Hai...it did. I had made three of them. They were shadow clones of my own making, but they seemed to have minds of their own, twisted minds. They attacked me during the night, it took me five minutes to dispatch all three of them with my gentle fist, but the damage had already been done. I was scared since I knew those clones were made by me, but I didn't understand how or why I made them, or why they had attacked me so brutally. All I knew was that the people from the day before and my family couldn't know of my injuries. They'd think I'd inflicted them on myself. My left eye was now bruised with black and purple, I had scratches on every part of my exposed arms and lower legs. My lower lip was a deep red and swollen, and both my cheeks were purple from being punched at. I knew I couldn't be seen with these, those strange people would give me those same pitied looks, and I didn't want that, I refused to be pitied at. I didn't sleep the rest of the night, afraid my already unstable mind would make more of those dangerous clones. In the morning I applied as much make-up as I could, or at least tried to. Hanabi-chan walked in on me when I was applying the small foundation on my left cheek. Both my arms and legs were wrapped in bandages so that no one would see my injuries. Hanabi was immediately alarmed at my facial injuries and tried to go over to me and check them out. By shouted at her to leave me alone and butt out of my life. Though a stranger to me she still was, I knew I hated saying those words to her, and she was hurt by them. Her eyes...grew cold ...she turned around and began shouting for our father saying I had injured myself during the night. In a panic I ran out of my room through the window and leaped towards the hokage tower. My mind had become random during the past month of it's sudden decline, and it made me realize that if there was anyone who knew what was happening with me...it was our hokage...tsunade-sama. So that's where I headed...not realizing the mistake I had made...or how much I would regret yet be thankful for showing up there._

"But...mama...your..your injuries...?!"

_Hai...they were still exposed and very much visible to any blind stupid person. There was the first mistake I had made...in such a rush to escape my room I had forgotten to finish putting on my foundation. I showed up at the office and asked shizune-san to let me see tsunade-sama. At first she looked at me as if she was expecting my visit, by her eyes quickly grew frightened at how horribly beaten up I looked. She tried to get a better look, but I dodged her prying fingers, I didn't know she was a medic-nin or that she was an apprentice to tsunade-sama, I didn't even know her name. I ran off from her and chose to try every door instead. After about a minute or two, I had found the room I was searching for. Without thinking or realizing I still had those visible injuries I burst through the door and found tsunade-sama staring wide-eyed in my direction. I remember gasping for air as I jogged my way over to the front of her desk, I began to ask her if I could to talk to her for a moment...when I realized she and I weren't alone. My right eye, which I could see out off better since my left one was still swollen, noticed a set of blond and pink hair facing in my direction. The same wild brown hair from the day before was next to a young man wearing glasses, and to my left I could barely make out the two other men from the day before, I recognized one as neji-niisan. A girl with blond hair walked over to stand next to tsunade-sama to get a better look at me and gasped. Who I assumed were her two male team mates walked over to her and both let out a gasp as well. One of them who I know was shikamaru-san had even whispered out, 'that this was way more than too troublesome.' The moment I heard gasps from all directions, it was then that I realized of my injuries, and that I hadn't placed foundation on them as I had first planned. I let out a gulp, and decided it was best to act as if these injuries didn't exist._

"Ano-sa, Ano-sa, Ano-sa mama...what...what did tsunade-sama actually say?"

"well...let me see the conversation went like this...

_"Tsunade-sama may I speak with you in private for a moment?"_

_"...Hinata...who...hit you?" the older woman didn't fail to notice the flinch coming from the small woman_

_"Please, hokage...I won't take much of your time I need to talk to you." hinata turned her attention to the man who she knew as neji-niisan as he coughed._

_"Hinata-sama...I suggest you answer hokage-sama's question now...for I'm curious as well...who...HIT you?" his opaque eyes intensified in anger as he asked._

_Hinata turned away and looked down to avoid the stares of these strange people. She knew the questions they had in their minds...who hit her? Why her? And why didn't she go to them for help?_

_"Ano...these...these in...in...injuries are nothing I...I..just fell is all...there's...nothing..."_

_"bullshit hyuga...you're lying to us." hinata gasped as she looked up to see those same intense onyx eyes from before stare at her. But this time they looked worried, angry, and dare she say it...scared? "Now answer the damn question...who the hell HIT you?!" the small woman shivered at the venom the dark-haired man carried with every word he spoke._

_"Uchiha calm yourself, hinata-sama will answer our questions, if she knows what's best for her." neji glanced over at hinata who had returned to looking down at the floor._

_"Ne, hinata-chan...sasuke-teme and neji are just worried about ya...and I am too...what happened? And who the hell even dared to hit you like that?!" hinata looked up again to see the man with blond hair give her what appeared to be a worried look. Why was it that some faces were blurrier than others?_

_She didn't know but hinata knew that whoever this blond man was, he was no good. Her heart was feeling painful again by just looking at him. Turning away with a scornful look, hinata turned to look at tsunade again. The look hinata had given naruto didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the ninja in the room._

_"Please...I'm begging you tsunade-sama...just a couple of minutes to talk to you...that is all I ask...if...if you give me...that...I'll...I'll answer your questions."_

_The older woman looked at hinata with a grim expression but nodded. If she would get answers for one of her shinobi being injured badly, then she'll listen to any of the girl's demands. Rising from her chair the woman directed hinata into the meeting room across the office room. Neji opened his mouth to protest but quickly shut it upon seeing the glare the hokage gave him._

_"I'll be back in a couple of minutes to continue our conversation on new anbu assignments for all of you...for now just shut up and wait here, and don't any of you dare to try and hear in on our conversation or I'll destroy any chance for any of you to have kids understood?" all nine shinobi nodded fervently as hinata and tsunade disappeared behind the door._

_Sitting down on a windowsill hinata waited for tsunade to situate herself on a lounge chair before beginning._

_"ne...I'm sure you've already heard...about what happened to me yesterday...wit...with neji and ..the..rest of rookie nine...tsunade-sama?"_

_"Hai, I have and let me tell you hinata...I'm concerned...what's happened to you?" hinata turned and gave tsunade a sad smile._

_"I wish I knew...but...but...I don't..that's why I came to you hokage-sama."_

_"well, I'm listening."_

_Looking over at the window, hinata lets out a small bitter laugh as she leans her forehead against the cool glass. "Things...I feel...I should remember tsunade-sama...are...slowly slipping away. Those people outside...not one do I recognize...and it's becoming harder to and harder to remember them...my mind is shutting down hokage-sama...and I...don't know why." tsunade looked at hinata with worry and understanding._

_"These bruises and injuries were caused by three shadow clones...that..that I..some..somehow created subconsciously last night...and...and they managed to get in a couple..of..goo...good punches before I defeated them. My mind is so gone from my control tsunade-sama...I'm...I'm afraid that this will happen..a..a..again." hinata wasn't surprised to see tsunade's usual calm expression turn to shock at hinata's confession._

_"Hinata...may..I ask you something?"_

_"Hai?"_

_"have you been through emotional stress in the past few months prior to your mental breakdown? Such as...a...rejection?" yes it was true it appeared tsunade had heard of hinata's confession to naruto, and his rejection._

_Hinata closed her eyes and formed a scowl, she couldn't remember anything stressful occurring to her for her to have such a severe case of memory loss. "Gomen ne...but I can't seem to remember...t..t..though to be honest...I feel like those people outside might know.." tsunade nodded slowly as she stood up from the chair. "Please...tsunade-sama...I..want to remember again...why do I feel anxious and tired all the time? Why am I here...why does it feel wrong what I'm doing now...like I don't belong here..." pleading opaque eyes looked at the woman standing by the door._

_Tsunade smiled sadly at the girl, it was clearly obvious that she was in pain from this, but she needed some answers from naruto and neji before she can help hinata in any way. "I understand hinata...please wait here for a minute I might just have answers to all your questions." with that the hokage exited the room leaving hinata alone to her thoughts._

_The small woman leaned her forehead against the cool window again as she tried to recover any lost memory from the past months. Minutes passed as she could hear loud voices apparently arguing with each other through the other side. Using her byakugan she could see it was the blond man arguing with the hokage. Neji-niisan, and the uchiha as he had called him were also arguing with the hokage, and it was clear that they were arguing over her. The hyuga girl deactivated her blood-limit and closed her eyes to concentrate again. More minutes pass until finally the memories locked away from her pour through her in such a rapid speed she finds herself holding her head from the excruciating pain. Though she still couldn't remember their faces, she saw the blond man rejecting her...after she confessed her feelings for him. Her hurt pride go lower after her father's hurtful and truthful words to her. Now she understood why and how her memories began to disappear. Collapsing on the ground she kept holding her head, tears running down her face again. In the midst of all of this sudden revelation of her lost memories...a random one popped into her head, just like it did before. Hinata saw her mother, showing her a plant outside the konoha boundaries on a hyuga trip she went with her father. The plant she remembers, helped clear the nervous system of the brain cells causing the stress to be boxed in inside your brain. It was especially effective for hyuga who were losing rapid control of their mental well-being. The small woman wobbly stood back up and searched for the other exit of the meeting room. That random memory that entered her mind, helped answer her most crucial question, and she knew exactly where to find the hyuga documents written by her mother of where exactly that plant was. 'Tsunade-sama...she probably knows of that plant as well..but...if...this continues...they'll...think I'm going crazy before letting me go get it myself...I..I have to do this alone then...I..have to...for...myself...before...I...fade away...for good.'_

_Taking in a deep and shaky breath hinata prepared to do something she knew will cause trouble to the people outside._

"Ne, Ne, Ne mama!!!!? don't stop now! What happened, what happened?"

_Calm down matoko. Well after all this sudden new information in my head, I acted on impulse and dashed out of the meeting room through the front exit instead of the side where tsunade-sama had gone into. I quickly ran towards the konoha archives where every important document of any clans established in the village where kept. Though some of my memory had returned, I couldn't put names into the faces that were back in that office, so I knew that I had to get those documents my mother wrote no matter what, or I'd have empty memories of people I didn't even know. My adrenaline picked up when I heard the bang of a door being open from behind me and the shouts of tsunade-sama and the other men calling for me. But my focus was those documents nothing more. I found the room quickly and entered it making sure to lock it as soon as I was in. It didn't take long for me to find the documents since I was allowed access into the hyuga files since I became a chuunin, my mother's writings on the medicinal herbs were on the back of the cabinet, but I managed to find what I was looking for. The plant was apparently located twenty miles outside the konoha territory, which is about half's day travel on foot. I was glad I had found the document, but the splitting headache from the memory rush I had received back in the other room, had taken it's toll on my body. My vision was becoming blurry, and if I didn't leave now the stuffy room would make me feel worse, also they had finally found me. Your father's voice was the one I could hear the most, shouting out 'hyuga open the damn door.' over and over again. Naruto's and neji-niisan's voices were also quite loud as well. I noticed a window on the far end of the room and took my chances. The moment my feet hit the ground, I heard the crash of the door and the figures of three people looking out of the window I just escaped from. The pain in my chest came back as I began to run and hop from building to building trying to put as much distance as possible between them and me. Before I knew it I found myself in the outskirts of the village, and the beginning of the training grounds. The plant was close then, but I'd never get to it._

"What?! But mama...what about..ano..how did you get back your memories?!"

_My mind just completely shutdown on me matoko, my will to fight...disappeared. The memories kept replaying like a broken record and I must have just grown tired of it, so I just let it eat my mind away. I collapsed on the forest floor it must have been somewhere past the training grounds since the forest seemed thicker than before. What felt like hours to me, was probably mere minutes , but the pounding of my head with each memory that kept showing itself to me was making it harder and harder to hold on to reality. I just wanted it to end, the feel of rejection, of pity, of being useless to father, to feel abandoned by my friends even if it wasn't the case, or the feel that I was alone and no one was going to help me back up. All of those thoughts kept repeating themselves in my head with each memory, and right before I felt the sense of unconsciousness taking over me, I felt two arms grab me by the shoulders and shake me gently. Opening my eyes, I was shocked to see that man, that man with those dark eyes look back at me. My fear returned as I tried to pull away from him, but he refused. His face remained stoic, blank with no clear sign of emotion, but his eyes...his eyes looked afraid...for me. Tears blinded me as I kept trying to pull away, but...he did something unexpected so that I wouldn't get away. He...embraced me. His strong and warm arms held me tight against him, and that's when I first noticed that he was shaking uncontrollably. He wasn't crying, but he must have been really nervous to have been shaking like that. No person could still hold what little self-restraint they had of their emotions, and after holding it for nearly two months...I sobbed all my regrets into that man's chest._

"papa...ne?"

_Hai, I sobbed and sobbed until I managed to ask him the burning questions in my mind. 'why, why did you come after me?'_

_'I can't come after a fellow anbu comrade?'_

_'But...you..you..barely know..know me, you..and..I...I ...why...didn't you just leave me alone? Like..like everyone else?'_

_'Hyuga...you really are an idiot, what makes you think your friends back there had left you alone? You're the one who didn't go to them, you...hyuga isolated yourself.'_

_'...you're...pro...probably right...but..but...they...didn't ...lo..lo..look as scared for me..as..as you...'_

_there was a pause for a moment, I couldn't see sasuke's face since he still held me quite tightly in his embrace and all I could see was his chest as it rose up and down with his breathing. But he finally spoke and his voice had lost its roughness and it seemed kinder._

_'Hai, because they don't know the feeling of abandonment like you and I. I...understand how you feel, and also...I wanted to repay you...'_

_'Repay...me..me?'_

_"Hai, you probably don't remember hyuga...but you saved my life when we were first partnered together for an anbu mission. So now I'm going to save yours.'_

_'But...you...no..no..I...just...I'm not worth saving...if..I...was weak enough to let my mind slip so..so..so..much.'_

_'Hinata...you are not worthless...don't you dare say that bullshit again woman...you have to remember...remember...your life is mine...and mine...is yours.'_

_the moment I heard those words...and how he had said my name with meaning and need, everything became clear and my mind seemed to return itself to normal. My memories came back to me, it was almost as if none of it happened. But I was physically exhausted, and I began to black out. Before I completely lost consciousness I whispered to your father, just so he could be reassured that I was ok._

_'...S...S..Sasuke-kun...arigouto...ari...gouto.'_

"ano-sa mama!! and then and then what happened?!"

"well I was in a deep sleep for about a three days, the whole time your father, naruto, sakura-chan, neji-niisan, hanabi, and my father never left the hospital. When I woke up my memories were all back, and all the stress and pressure I had felt left as well. Tsunade-sama told me that she had found the documents I'd dropped while escaping. She found the herbs and used it to speed up my nervous systems recovery. She did scold my father for having put unnecessary pressure on me, when my mind was already stressed out. Father told me I could retire as an anbu as soon as I recovered and just concentrate on my upcoming duty as head of the hyuga clan. I stayed at the hospital for the rest of the week and was discharged in the afternoon. It was clear everyone was relieved of the return of my memories, since they threw me a huge welcome back party. Let me tell you I was never so reassured that my friends would never abandon me unnecessarily as I was was when I showed up to that party. Sakura-chan and naruto asked for my forgiveness for not helping me sooner. I told them it wasn't necessary I was fine and everything was back to normal and that was the important part."

"mamaaaaaa..."

"Hai, Hai, forgive me matoko dear. Well during the week I was in the hospital, I got to think a lot of my life and I realized that the one person that wouldn't leave my thoughts was your father, I even dreamed about him. It was during the party that I fully accepted that I must be in love with sasuke for him to be in every thought I had in my mind. And by chance, your father asked me to be his girlfriend that day, after I...well stuttered my confession to him. He said he couldn't resist asking me out after I blushed and repeated myself the entire time. And that's how it happened matoko ."

"Wow, mama...that was soooooo romantic! Papa must have been in love with you long before you were with him." matoko giggled as she and her mother got up from the chair.

"I suppose so, since he did seem to show more emotion towards me than even his own team mates." hinata smiled at her daughter as she placed her knitting inside a basket.

"Ne...ano..I don't understand though mama, how did 'your life is mine and mine is yours' help you get your memories back?" the little girl questioned her mother as they both entered the kitchen.

"Oh, very simple matoko, when he was severely injured in our first anbu mission together, he had commanded me to leave him behind and take the documents with me back to konoha. I was and still am a very sensitive girl and I get attached to people much too easily, or so my father's told me. So naturally I had grown attached to your father, he was now an important person in my life, just like shino-kun and kiba-kun, and I had to protect him. I grabbed him and placed him on my back and began to head towards konoha. He was heavy for a girl my size and he knew it, which is why he kept yelling at to let him go and why did I even bother to save some lying traitor like him."

"and..and...umm what did you say mama?"

"I told him that he was my comrade and because of that he was now an important person to me. I would rather die in battle with him then let him die alone knowing that I could have done something. And that's when I told him that the moment he and I became anbu partners...his life was now mine...and my life was now his." hinata smiled at the memory as she took out rice to cook. "Your father stayed quiet after that, and for a moment I thought he had finally blacked out, but I felt his somewhat quick breathing on the back of my neck, and I knew he was still awake. I managed to get us back to konoha without anymore interference. When we arrived at the hokage's tower both he and I were healed by medic-nin as tsunade reviewed our mission. I was allowed to leave soon after, and your father was going to be taken to the hospital for a broken rib. Before he and I separated though...he gave me weirdest smile I've ever seen...and thanked me for not leaving him alone." the woman laughed as she placed the rice in the cooker to steam.

"Wow mama...you and papa had such a weird meeting...but it was sort of romantic. I can't believe all that happened though." matoko placed a small finger on her chin as she thought about her mother's story.

"Well, it did happen sweetie, as unbelievable as it sounds...it did...now come help your mother with dinner." hinata tugged at her apron as a sign to her daughter to put on an apron.

"Hai, mama!" matoko ran to put one one and raced back to help her mother cut some potatoes.

"Mama, can I tell nii-san the story of how you and papa met?" matoko asked as she cut the last pair of potatoes for her mother.

"I see no problem in it sweetie, just don't over-exaggerate it, or your father will be upset." hinata winked as she and matoko locked their pinkies together.

"Hai, mama! I'll tell him exactly what you told me, promise!" the girl giggled as she ran over to help set up the dishes. As she finished placing the last plate she heard the front door of the house being open and shut and the voices of her father and brother coming closer to the living room. Smiling matoko ran to say hello to them.

"Hello tou-san! Hi nii-san...hi...yuki-chan?...what are you doing with them?" the girl walked over to her father as she was handed over a bubbly baby who proceeded to chew on her hair.

"Your mother insisted I take your little brother with me, so I can begin 'bonding with him' like I am with hikaru." sasuke replied bitterly to her daughter's rhetorical question as he wiped drool from his left hair bang.

"Hahaha, you should have been there mato-chan! All the clan leaders had I hard time holding their laughs when yuki kept trying to chew on tou-san's hair when he was listening to some of the hyuga's current village issues."

"Sasuke, baby drool suits your hair." said a sweet voice as hinata came out of the kitchen with a large plate of fried potatoes and fish.

Matoko and hikaru both laughed as their father grunted and went over to the kitchen sink to get rid of the offending drool. Seeing her father pass her, matoko was reminded of what she wanted to tell her older brother.

"Ne...nii-san guess what, guess what?!" matoko asked as she placed her baby brother on his high chair for his dinner to be served.

Blinking hikaru shrugged and sat down next to matoko who had already sat down at the table. "What mato-chan? It better no be something girly."

The small girl shook her head as she grinned at her brother, "Nope...did you know that mama, had a crush on naruto-sama when she was younger?!"

His mouth opened in slight shock hikaru replied, "No way! Who told you that? Is it true? How long did it last?"

"Mama told me, and she told me how she and tou-san fell in love! Do you wanna know how it happened?!" matoko grinned wider as she watched her brother get even more shocked.

"Hai, Hai!! I wanna know!"

From the kitchen hinata watched as her daughter began to tell the story. She giggled as she watched hikaru's face expressions change more than it has in one day. The petite woman continued to giggle as an arm encircled her shoulder and pull her against a warm body. Her husband bend down to her ear and whispered.

"What's got you all bubbly and giggly?" though she couldn't see him she knew he was finding her silly behavior amusing.

"I told matoko how you and I fell in love with each other, so now she's telling hikaru." hinata no held her hand against her mouth as she felt sasuke stiffen behind her. She could imagine the scowl forming on his face.

"Ne, hinata, why the hell did you tell our daughter that story, you'll know she'll just exaggerate it...all girls exaggerate stories." sasuke let go of hinata and leaned against the other side of the kitchen doorway; looking at his wife.

"Don't worry sasuke, I'm sure she'll be careful to who she tells this story to. Besides everyone know how you and I fell in love since almost all of the rookie nine were involved in some way." hinata smiled at her husband as she turned around to get the rice ready.

"Woman, you and your daughter our going to be the death of me." sasuke smirked as walked over and bear hugged his wife, giving her a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Sasuke be grateful I didn't tell her how you proposed to me." she told him teasingly, satisfied to see the terrified look in sasuke's eyes as he nervously laughed and whispered to his wife before going over to sit with hikaru and matoko.

"Hai, forgive hinata...but I'll remind you tonight exactly why I married you." the man smirks in triumph feeling the intense blush his wife now has on her face. 'That same cute blush when you confessed to me, and it never gets old.'

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**I hope you liked this chapter! I know I know I probably made the story a bit vague but I didn't want in an extremely long chapter that would just suck...right? well anyways chapter eight will be at the academy with hikaru and matoko as the school celebrates white day...lol I have japanese culture classes to catch up on so a bid you adieu...umm bye and please review!**


	8. Extra chapter: An Uncertain Future

**Hi again! In case you're wondering this isn't chapter 8 sorry! This a short drabble of sorts for extremely future chapter of 'Time After Time'. Hikaru and Matoko are both 15 in this one. This is in hikaru's POV, so...umm prepare for some angsty words and such. As for ch. 8 it's half way done, I just gotta make sure of some scenes at the end and it should be out mid-week or so. Oh, a little side note I re-read my ch. 7 and OMG! I had so many freaking grammar mistakes on that thing it wasn't even funny! I suppose that's what happens when you type with sleep filled eyes lol. **

**Moving on though, let me explain some things for you dear readers. We all know a good naruto fanfic can't be good without adding the drama and tragic twist and turns of people's lives that the series is so filled of. It's quite understandable that I'm going to add something bad into matoko and hikaru's lives. Yea I know I feel like a douchebag for doing this, but it won't be extremely tragic like sasuke's or hinata's lives were. Now if you can read between the lines you should figure out, or at least get some vague idea as to what's going on with matoko. If you can't figure it out though, I'd be glad to fill you in lol. ch. 8 will be up soon promise! Please enjoy 'future excerpts from my TAT fic, that I'll be writing a long time from now.' drabble! Oh and please review if you'd be so kind :)**

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, xX Alpha Clique Xx, & Tw33ty JR. You all know who you are and I'm never going to be able to thank you enough for reviewing all my chapters. I'm glad you like my story and still do, I hope this sneak peak of sorts of my future TAT chapters, is something you will enjoy! I love you muses! Lol**

**Disclaimer:Don't we all wish naruto belonged to us? **

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha children are mine so please no stealy!

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I should have known. It should have been obvious to me, I am her twin after all. Beings born together at the same time, from the same mother. Connected by not only blood bonds, but by a spiritual and supernatural connection that grows through time. Or at least, that's how it usually works. I am Hikaru Uchiha I am Matoko Uchiha's twin brother, her older brother, her protector, her best friend. At least, that's what I thought I was. But I should have known.

I shouldn't have been so naive, so foolish, so innocent, to believe that those titles were truly mine to hold. It should have been obvious the moment we turned into growing adolescent ninjas. Neji-jiisan had always talked about fate and destiny, how each combined together to help forge a path for us to follow, a path no human could escape. I of course paid no heed to his words, they were just simple words, spoken by a man growing old in age. I should have known though, how true those words would become. It should have been obvious to me, how true those words were to her. Matoko, my little sister, the one who cried easily, but one angry glare from her would make you hide under a rock. Who's smiles made your day a bit better, but who easily made your eyes weep when you saw her distraught with grief. Gentle like a butterfly, but strong as a lion.

Matoko, my little sister, I should have known. I knew all her mannerisms, all her weaknesses, her joys, her strengths, her pains, yet I never knew, I never knew what was going to happen, though it should have been obvious; at least...to me. It began when we became chuunin her attitude changed, as father began to focus more on me...she began to fade. If she wasn't training with mother, she was training with neji-jiisan and our cousin, nami. We didn't have a chance to hang out as brother and sister anymore, I was perfecting my sharingan and she...her byakugan. I should have seen it back then, after all I have one of the strongest eyes of konoha, eyes that can see ahead, it should have been obvious to me. The more and more we trained, the more and more we disappeared. She in one direction, and me in another.

Mother and father noticed, but it was far too late. She had become an anbu only after a month of being a jounin, and I soon followed. Upon finding out of matoko's new status, mother had said, her eyes had grown dull and distant as the years passed since we had become chuunin, it was then father realized he had repeated his father's past mistake, but of course it was far too late. She became consumed by her missions, leaving in the early morning and returning late at night. When she left, it would be a miracle if she gave father or me a passing glance. She was still kind to mother, but her smiles were strained and seemed false; and soon she didn't smile at all. Our little brother yuki, would constantly want to train with her when I couldn't, but she would push him away saying, she had more urgent business to take care of ask father, and with that she would leave, not to return till late at night. I should have known, I should have seen, I should have stopped what was happening in front of me. But I was a fool, convincing myself it was just a phase she was in, soon I would have my little sister back. Indeed, I was a stupid fool.

Things continued to get worse when she returned from a mission. She was tired and weary, she was sweating from a high fever and blood was splattered all over her uniform. She collapsed on our front steps, and didn't wake up till three days later. That is where things went even worse. She wanted to spar with me the day she awoke from recovery to see if any damage had been done to her nervous system. As we fought, her punches and kicks became more intense, father and mother urged her stop. It wasn't until I saw her face a mere inch from mine, holding a kunai right by my throat, that I realized I was losing my sister. Half her face was covered with petal shaped black marks and her eye was glowing with a malicious golden color. Moments later I saw her pearlescent eyes widened as she released me and ran off towards the house. Father followed quickly after, his face showing a fearful recognition. Mother went to me to check for any injuries, I was too busy looking at the corner where matoko had disappeared.

Weeks passed, father had tried to speak with her after our failed spar, but gained nothing but a door in the face. She seemed normal, half her face was hidden by her long hair though, the part of her face that was marred by those black marks. I should have known, it should have been clear to me when we sparred and I saw that evil look, but I didn't. After that incident, her anbu missions shortened by the week, and soon we heard she was being put on desk duty, for certain reasons. Her eyes had turned cold and rigid after the news, and the distance she had with father and me grew even more. Not even a passing glance to mother did she give and yuki seemed even more discouraged to train after she bluntly denied his attempts to train with her. It should have been clear to me then, I should have known, but I didn't.

One night though, she sat with us for dinner, a rare occasion since our younger days. Her face was stoic and she hid her emotions well, but she was there, and that was all that mattered to us, her family. It wasn't long though till she joined in our jokes, played tricks on me with yuki's help, had staring contests with father, and helped mother with our dessert cake. Everything seemed normal, she smiled and giggled, her eyes were vibrant with happiness, or so I thought. We had a tradition when matoko and I were younger, we always said our good-nights to father and mother, by planting them a kiss and then saying, not good-bye but see you tomorrow, if you change it we get money for our birthdays. It never worked, but it was a silly child's game she and I loved to play. That night though, she walked over to mother and hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and did the same to father. She gestured me to do the same, I smiled and followed what she did. She giggled and we both watched our parents smile with hope in their eyes, matoko was returning to her old self. When she went to say good night to yuki though, tears began to roll down her face, her hug on him was tight, and her body shook. It was a scene of someone saying good-bye to a loved one she'd never see again. Even then, when my parents and I saw that, I should have known, what she was thinking, what she was planning to do, but I didn't. I told her good night see you later,her eyes turned to me with a deep sadness I've never seen in her. A small smile appeared on her face and she shook her head, 'no, it's good-bye this time nii-san.' with that she left to her room, leaving my parents and I even more worried and confused. The feeling inside me, it told me something was wrong, but I didn't listen, and by the time I did...it was too late. Twins are always supposed to be connected, know what the other was thinking, when the other was in pain, or felt lonely. If that is what twins do, then I now know I have failed my job, my duty, to her.

She left on a saturday morning, no words, no clues or reasons as to why she left. Her figure running across the hallways, her smiling face, and her laughter quickly vanished from the compound. Even her scent, which still lingered when she was off at her anbu missions, disappeared as well. Mother cried for days, father would hardly sleep helping anbu squads and the hokage try to track her down. Yuki was the hardest hit, his grades had slipped to a new low shortly after matoko left, and he hasn't smiled since that morning. To say the uchiha household was affected greatly by matoko's disappearance would be an understatement. Three weeks ago, My mother and father made the hardest decision they've had to make since their marriage...declare their own daughter a missing nin. As for myself, it's said I'm the one who was the greatest affected by her disappearance. Then again, twins are connected to each other, whatever she feels I feel, what ever injury she gets, I feel twice as hard, and when that connection is cut...it is said that the twin left behind dies from loneliness. I'm starting to agree with these myths and rumors. It's getting harder to wake up in the mornings, and I feel my soul slowly drifting away. The only thing keeping me from completely losing sanity, is the simple sign of hope, that one day, matoko will return, she'll come back, and we can be together again, brother and sister. That's where I am today, sitting on top of the hokage monument. My eyes overlooking the front gates, in hope, that I'll see a figure of a girl walking towards the gates, a small smile on her face, and her pearlescent eyes glowing with the sun's rays. I should have known, how she felt, but I didn't.

I thought she knew, that she wasn't alone, she wasn't being ignored. I was her brother and I loved her dearly, my eyes never left watching, I was always proud of all her accomplishments and what she had done for herself and our clan. I really thought she knew all of that, I guess I should have told her, exactly how important she was and still is to me. My whole world revolved around her, I wasn't planning on making my own life until I knew she had her own, and that she was truly happy. I should have known, it should have been obvious to me. People tell me I need to let go and accept that she's dead killed by the outside world of konoha, but I can't accept it, I won't. Other people tell my parents to have another child, another daughter. No, no one not even my own flesh and blood can ever replace matoko, my matoko, my little sister. I should have known, all these words that I've spoken to myself I could have told her, so many words left unspoken, and now I'm afraid I'll never be able to say those words to her again. I am Hikaru Uchiha, son of Hinata and Sasuke Uchiha, anbu captain of squad two, shinobi of sixth hokage Uzumaki Naruto, and most important of all, big brother to the strongest girl I've ever and will ever know, Matoko Uchiha. Soon though I will be something else, I will be a s-class missing nin of the village hidden in the leaves. I'll look for my sister, make amends for past mistakes, bring her back from whatever took her from me and our family, and make her smile again. I should have know, it should have been obvious to me, but it wasn't. Matoko, for that, I am sorry, sorry for not protecting you like I should have, I am sorry little sister.

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**yes, hikaru is very much attached to his twin sister. he isn't in love with her though, just thought I'd point that out since one of my friends read it and was like, "you're making it sound like he's in love with her." Yea...I'm not really, I just think since sasuke loved his brother but then hated him for the uchiha massacre, and hinata and her unwanted rivalvry for the hyuga head position with her sister, their children would have a far more closer relationship. yea I have a weird way of thinking, anywho...I cried when I wrote this, I never knew I could make hikaru this emotional lol. will matoko be found? will hikaru really run away too, to find his missing sister? what happened to matoko to make her runaway?...well sorry can't tell you it's a secret:p I do hope you enjoyed it though! if you did please review! and remember ch. 8 is almost here!**


	9. Ch 8: An Unwanted Holiday

**Hello! Actually I'm not as excited as I make myself sound lol. I'm tired and can barely keep my eyes open. Anayways...let's draw away from the angst and sadness that was the extra chapter of TAT. Don't worry though, two or three more chapters and I'll start the path that leads matoko into her dark life. For now, we're returning to the humorous and happy side of matoko and hikaru as they celebrate White Day. I'll also be introducing the rest of the kids spawned from the rookie nine (plus gai XD). Not much to say besides that...I hope you don't mind me skipping from dark to light in almost very chapter lol, it's just in my character to do that. As for next chapter...we get to see the hyuga side of matoko as she stays at the hyuga compound, after she catches a cold. I might also put in more sneak peak chapters of 'future chapters for TAT' such as...ichimaru meeting matoko when they were younger! -dun dun dun!- another note though, this will most likely be my last update, for a long long time...I'm going to MEXICO for christmas vacation! If the lord lets us of course. So don't expect a update till after new years. I will be writing up chapters while I'm there, since I'll be taking my laptop, but no internet! -cries- **

**I wish you all a merry christmas and happy new years! I hope ya'll don't get coal in your stockings lol! I bid you adieu, and hope you all review this chapter! **

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, xX Alpha Clique Xx, Tw33ty JR, puertorrican-babe, and Moto Moon -kidnaps santa- old st. nick you better give these people the greatest gifts ever, because they've been giving me the greatest gifts ever...their reviews. My muses deserve the best, so you better deliver! Thank you all for staying with this story!**

**Disclaimer:if naruto were mine...I would have killed itachi for sasuke! lol**

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha, uzumaki, akimichi, inuzuka, nara, hyuga, and aburame children are mine so please no stealy!

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"Hikaru-niisan it's not that bad, you should be happy for today." came the giggling voice of matoko as she skipped along the path to the academy. Her brooding brother, hikaru, tagging behind, four white ribbons dangling from his right hand.

"Pff, maybe for you it's a good day, you get these stupid ribbons as a gift. I gotta give them to a bunch of annoying girls." hikaru caught up to his sister and dangled the white ribbons around clearly not enjoying carrying them. " White day is the worst holiday invented by mankind."

Giggling matoko held the gate to the academy opened for her brother to walk, or more like sulk, through the gate. "It's not that bad nii-san, konoe-san, rikako-chan, yutsuko-chan, and nami-chan gave you really delicious chocolate. The least you can do is give them a white ribbon, besides they seem to like you a lot."

Hikaru grunted as they both entered the academy, walking down the empty hallway. "You sound just like kaa-san, mato-chan. She told me 'I had to return their kindness, it's the least I can do for them.' And they don't like me, those freaks are obsessed with me."

Giving her twin brother a reproachful glare matoko and hikaru entered their classroom. "Nii-san that isn't very nice. You shouldn't call them that. Besides being a gentleman is part of being a true shinobi."

hikaru gave matoko a bored stare as he hung his pack on the hooks, followed by his sister who put up her backpack. "That so? Well I can be a shinobi without being a 'gentleman' any day. But tou-san told me to honor my mother's wishes and just give the girls their ribbons, so I will. Once I do I'll pretend they don't exist like always."

The girl shook her head at her brother's rather rude and stubborn ways, "If that's what you want to do nii-san...I'm warning you though, we girls tend to..."

"HIKARU-KUN!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Matoko smiled as three girls came running through the door of their classroom. The indigo-haired girl looked next to her where her brother had stiffened considerably and he seemed to be shaking in fear or anger, possibly both. The one that arrived to hikaru's desk first was yutsuko inuzuka. Her brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail, she was wearing a black sweater with a dog paw-print in the corner of the fabric, she wore white capris that seemed to have met with some mud on the way there. Her black sharp eyes batted wildly as she watched hikaru's eyes stare at her for a moment before focusing on something else. The red marks on her face seemed more highlighted with the flush covering her entire face. She waved happily at matoko, who waved back, before returning her attention to hikaru.

"Ohayo, hikaru-kun! I hope you're doing good...umm...you...know what today is?" yutsuko remained unaware of the death glare hikaru seemed to want to direct to her. Before hikaru could as much as reply, though he really didn't want to, another loud voice entered the classroom shouting insults in yutsuko's direction.

"Dog-girl, back off of hikaru-kun you're annoying him with your disgusting smell!" a girl the same height as matoko stood on top of the stairs for a moment before going down to stand face to face with yutsuko. Matoko waved at the blonde girl.

"Ohayo, rikako-chan!"

The girl waved back happily, but her face quickly formed another scowl at the even angrier looking inuzuka girl.

"What'cha say to pigtails??"

Rikako Akimichi huffed out at the insult thrown at her. Her dark blonde hair was pulled into two seemingly perfect pigtails, a long bang of hair covering half of her blue right eye. She wore a blue sweater with a white shirt inscribed with her last name shown through. A pair of long black leggings covered her legs, and she carried a bag of gummy bears in her left hand.

"I said stay away from hikaru-kun dog girl can't you see you're burning off his nose senses with your awful smell?"

"I took a shower this morning big mouth, besides you're just jealous cause he doesn't even know you exist!" The inuzuka stuck out her tongue in triumph as she watched rikako's face turn red with rage.

Choosing to ignore her, rikako turns to hikaru, who seemed to be reading a magazine off of his sister's desk.

"Ohayo hikaru-kun! Please forgive inuzuka here for her stupid behavior some people just can't control themselves ne?" the girl nervously laughed as hikaru ignored her and continued reading. Yutsuko scoffed at the scene before her and was about to rub it in rikako's face when another girl entered the classroom.

Both girls watched with weariness as konoe nara walked slowly over to them a gentle but bored smile on her face. She wore a green sweater with a fishnet shirt underneath, her black hair was tied into a semi-bun on her head a few strands of hair falling around her face. She wore black capris, bandages tied around her lower legs holding her sandals in place. Her green eyes scanned the area, until she found spiky black hair sitting calmly on the desk. A dusty pink blush formed on her face as she walked down to the two other bickering girls, she nodded a hello to matoko who returned it, and stopped facing hikaru, who let out a soft yawn.

"'morning girls...good morning hikaru-kun...I hope you're doing well.." she smiled as he grunted and kept reading the magazine

"Ne, nara! Why are you trying to be so damned polite? We all know you're just faking it!" yutsuko growled out as she watched the sweet words konoe spoke to hikaru.

"I can see it comes harder for some people to sound calm and collected from time to time, ne yutsuko-san?" bored looking green eyes looked at the inuzuka girl turning back around.

"...you little brat! What the heck are you trying to say by that?" yutsuko growled as she moved to look directly at konoe.

The green eyed girl rolled her eyes, "You're so troublesome yutsuko-san."

"I have to agree with konoe-san here dog-girl, you're too much trouble. No wonder hikaru-kun doesn't have any interest in you" rikako smirked when she spotted the glare directed at her by yutsuko.

"You know what? The both of you can just shove it up your a..." the angry girl was interrupted as a loud cough was heard from the entrance of the classroom. Rikako was the first to groan, knowing who had finally showed her face.

'great, the only real rival for hikaru-kun's affections that I have...nami hyuga.'

Two twin girls make their way towards the group of girls that had formed around the side of hikaru's desk. The first twin nami, was wearing a small khaki sweater, the hyuga emblem on the front with a loose black tank top underneath. She also wore a pair of black capris with sandals to match. Her brown hair was tied back in a large braid, a long bang covered some of her face. Her twin sister,nanaho, who had taken her assigned seat behind matoko, also wore a khaki sweater. The hyuga emblem on the back of hers, she wore a khaki skirt with black leggings underneath. Her long brown hair was pulled back by a low ponytail, her hair bang on the opposite side of her sister's covered some of her face as well. Matoko greeted her cousin cheerfully, and began a conversation with nanaho, who gladly accepted.

"I see I can't be gone for more than a day and all of you are already giving hikaru-kun a hard time, how pitiful and predictable." a smug look constant on her face, nami ignored the death glares aimed at her back by yutsuko and rikako. Her small smirk widened realizing the girls knew she had an advantage to them, as cousins, hikaru had to show proper respect and say hello to her first. She wasn't disappointed as hikaru's dark onyx eyes drifted up to her opaque ones.

"Ohayo, nami-sama, how's you're morning been?" hikaru ignored the twitching the inuzuka and akimichi girls were doing and looked at his cousin with boredom. He wanted her to answer quickly,so he can go back to his magazine. Besides the fact that his own cousin liked him, still didn't feel right to him

"Ohayo...Hikaru-kun...my morning was very good actually, knowing I'd get to see you again after our exam from the academy last friday." she looked back to see yutsuko looking away from the scene with disgust. Rikako had chosen to stuff her face with gummy bears. And konoe grabbed a notepad to doodle on, mumbling to herself how troublesome things had gotten. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here to stop these girls from bothering you hikaru-kun, they can get quite annoying."

'Not as annoying as you nami.' the black haired boy thought as he watched his cousin with even more boredom and discomfort. "Don't worry about it, I did fine...I...gotta get back to my magazine nami-sama you should probably get to your seat class starts in ten minutes."

Though disappointed at her short conversation with the uchiha boy, nami knew it was his way of saying I'm going to ignore you now like all the other girls, so leave. Smiling her goodbye nami went over to her desk which was on the front row of the class.

Matoko and nanaho watched with mild amusement at the entire scene. Taking a chance to speak to her brother again, after his little fan club went over to nami's desk, matoko poked his side gently. Hikaru grunted and turned to look at her.

"Ne, see nii-san they're not that bad...they just wanted to say good morning to you that's all." hikaru didn't fail to notice the teasing tone of his sister's voice.

"By swarming all around me, then arguing who 'deserves my affections' like I'm not even in the room? Mato-chan if that's 'not that bad' I'd hate to see their worst sides." the boy couldn't help but shiver at the mere though of it, as both matoko and nanaho giggle at his behavior.

"Hikaru-kun don't let them get to you. Including my sister, they just want to get you're attention...sakura-sensei did say you inherited uncle sasuke's looks." nanaho laughed as she heard her cousin's groan.

"Stop trying to justify them nana-chan...all I know is that I want this day to be over...stupid White Day." hikaru mumbled angrily to himself as he hid his face on the desk.

"Poor nii-san...I guess the girls really are bothersome for him...ne nana-chan?" matoko asked her cousin as she rubbed hikaru's back gently.

"Hai, but lucky for him he's not the only one giving out white ribbons today. Renji-kun, masaru-san, senichi-kun, kin-kun, and the other boys from our class are giving them out too." nanaho smiled as matoko shook her head in agreement. Hikaru simple grunted and kept his head down.

"hahaha teme looks like you're not having a good morning huh?" hikaru's left eye twitched, recognizing the voice of renji entering the classroom. More voices soon followed, which meant to those already there, class was about to start shortly.

"Well, it wasn't that bad, until you showed up dobe." both boys had a glaring contest as three other boys watched with annoyance.

"Class hasn't even started and you both are already at it again..." came kin inuzuka's loud and annoyed voice. His gray sweater had a large sewn black paw-print on it. His black pants had some dust covering its ends, his wild brown hair was covering part of his sharp blue eyes. He held a half a dozen white ribbons in his hand, and his cheeks seemed inflamed with red from the blush of annoyance and the red marks on his face.

"Ne kin, if the dobe hadn't made such an idiotic remark then maybe I wouldn't have had to burn him like that." hikaru smirked still looking at his magazine, as he heard renji growl at him and kin sigh with agitation.

"Calm down renji, hikaru just like messing with you, don't ya agree masaru?" the inuzuka boy turned to look at masaru nara, who had a rather bored look on his face.

"As troublesome as hikaru can be, kin's right renji...you shouldn't take it seriously." watery green eyes eyes looked at renji, as masaru yawned. His brown jacket stretched up as he arms stretched up as well to relax his muscles. his low cut pair of dark gray pants seemed wrinkled from a lot of use, and his ninja shoes were covered in dust. His black hair was held back by a ponytail and it seemed to have spiked up more since the last time his classmates saw him.

"You're saying that like you're on his side masaru." renji mumbled as he pouted and went over to place a bag on his desk, which was in front of hikaru's and matoko's.

"Actually I'm on neither one of your sides...because you're both wrong." deciding to end his input on the conversation, the lazy nara dragged himself to his desk across from hikaru's and set his head down to get at least a ten minute nap.

"Hello hikaru...I see you've given renji his first fight for the morning. You've told me you get no fun from this..." a smirking senichi aburame wearing dark glasses stood by hikaru's desk. He turned to kin and they shared their 'friendship handshake move' as the inuzuka boy called it, then turned to look at hikaru again. His light blue sweater swayed as he moved. Navy blue shorts were also covered with dust, and his black ninja shoes were coated with some mud. Spiky black hair covered part of his glasses, so he chose to take them out revealing black eyes staring with amusement at hikaru.

"And I stand by that senichi...annoying the crap out of renji is a routine no amusement what so ever." hikaru returned the smirk and tried to hold his laughter when renji threw a death glare at him.

"Both of you need to behave, poor renji-kun gets picked by you guys all the time." nanaho gave a stern stare at kin and hikaru.

"Ne nana-chan we're just fooling around, renji know I got his back right renji?" kin threw a grin towards renji, who gladly returned and went back up towards the group of guys.

"Let's change the subject guys, I'd rather not beat the crap out of hikaru in front of matoko-chan and nana-chan." renji chose to ignore the 'in your dreams dobe' comment hikaru had mumbled as he continued to read his magazine.

"Renji-kun, did you and the rest of the guys bring white ribbons for us girls?" matoko smiled at the blonde boy who quickly grinned to hide his immense blush upon realizing what this day was.

"ano...umm yea, it'd be rude if we hadn't ne guys?" renji's light blue eyes twitched in annoyance when he recognized the two smirks coming from kin and senichi. Both knowing quite well of renji's crush on matoko.

"Yep we brought one for each one of ya girls that brought us chocolate. Of course I made sure they all had little silver pawprints on them, so they'd know it was from me!" the inuzuka grinned showing off his fangs as he smiled.

"Only you would do such a ridiculous thing kin, giving the girls a simple white ribbon is enough for the holiday." senichi and kin looked at each other with annoying glares before kin turned around and pouted.

"Why do you always have to be such a killjoy sen-'chan'???" kin threw an arm around the aburame boy who was sulking for being called chan.

"Stop calling me that kin, it's idiotic...not to mention it's a dirty way to get out of an argument." senichi managed to get out of the inuzuka's grip and went over to sit in his seat, which was next to renji's. Renji smiled down at his friend who sighed and placed his glasses back on.

"looks like you pissed him off kin, you're such a loser." renji laughed as kin scuffed and shrug choosing to talk to his sister yutsuko, who had left the circle of girls and went to her desk to write something on a notebook.

"Dobe, why don't you do something useful and go see if ino-sensei is gonna show up or not?" hikaru momentarily lifted his onyx eyes from his magazine to look at renji before looking back down.

"Why, don't you do it yourself you lazy son of a bi..." renji stopped mid-sentence looking at nanaho's disapproving stare, and matoko who blinked innocently at him. Gulping renji dragged himself to the door to see if their sensei was showing up anytime soon.

Matoko poked her brother again, who had placed his magazine away and was taking out his notes from last class. "Nii-san that wasn't very nice, you should have gone to see if ino-sensei was coming instead of forcing renji to go."

"You're sure defending him a lot mato-chan, what's the deal? Besides you should know I just like messing with the guy." hikaru frowned as he looked at his sister, suspicious of her actions towards renji.

"I defend him cause I love him silly!" the room went completely quiet as they turned to look at matoko who remained oblivious to their stares. "He's my most bestest friend after all!" matoko looked all around her as her friends had somehow made their way to the floor, including her brother.

"That's not what I meant mato-chan..." hikaru grumbled to her as he got back on to his chair.

"Guys, guys!! iruka-sensei's teaching us today! He's coming down the hall right now! Everyone sit down before we get yelled at!" renji's urgent voice echoed through the classroom as all the kids that had just arrived or were already in the classroom scrambled to get to their seats. Hikaru let out a yawn, and asked matoko for a pen since he had only carried a pencil with him.

Nanaho giggled at kin who had tripped two times before making it to his seat next to her. Her twin nami was the calmest of the class already prepared for the day's lesson. Yutsuko and rikako were giving each other one last death glare of doom before focusing their attention to the front. Senichi had asked a girl next to him for some paper and to give his sister mieko her notebook back. The young aburame girl seemed very quiet and wasn't noticed by anyone besides her brother. A year younger than senichi, mieko was a genius of her class and was risen to graduate with her brother. Her periwinkle sweater hid her mouth and her brown capris were cut above her knee. Her brown hair was tied into a loose ponytail and bangs hanged on each side of her face. Light brown eyes peeked at her brother as she nodded and accepted her notebook from the girl. Masaru still remained asleep on his desk, even the snickering of his classmates, who knew the trouble the nara boy would be in for sleeping, didn't wake him. His sister konoe just shook her head at his rather stupid childish habits. Though over a year and a half younger than his brother konoe seemed to be the more mature one of the two, which showed more so with masaru off in dreamland. Renji scrambled to his seat as well and began to fidget when iruka's arrival seem to be taking longer than necessary.

Iruka opened the door to ino's class, and found a set of over twenty kids staring at him with rather mixed emotions. 'It appears ino-san was right when she said this class resembles the class of the rookie nine...this is more deja vu than I would have liked.'

Coughing from the nerving stares of his students, the man proceeded to introduce himself and begin class.

"All right kids, as you all know I'm one of the teachers of the academy, iruka-sensei. I'll be taking over for your teacher ino-san while she's off a one day mission. Let's just get through the lessons quickly and diligently and lunch will start, so the celebrations for white day can begin." Iruka waved rather annoyingly at renji, who had shouted out his name the entire time he spoke.

After his short introduction, iruka taught class as usual, going through history lessons, basic skills review, material and purposes, and outside combat skills. Though the poor man had to separate renji from hikaru over three times, after the small uchiha threw some rather loud and funny comments about renji's aim. Matoko managed to throw a stone at her brother for getting renji in trouble, which in turn caused hikaru's fan club to grow angry at the shy girl, and shout at her for hurting 'their' hikaru-kun. The calmer fan girls though, who were naturally friends with matoko, began to throw stones at the rabid fan girls, which caused an even bigger hikaru's fan club war since it was first established. Matoko, nanaho, mieko, and the underclassmen girls who were also practicing shuriken aiming, watched with annoyance at the other girls' immatureness. Iruka took another ten minutes to separate all the girls from beating each other into a messy pulp. By this time he noticed that the object of the fight to begin with, was off eating oranges with renji and kin, acting as nothing had happened. 'Too much like his father, once again I believe karma has sets its eyes on me.' the chuunin sighed as he held two twisting girls in his hands. After the failed combat class, iruka was more than happy, as he heard the bell ring for lunch to start. As the kids all ran off towards the back to get their lunch, he couldn't help but smile. 'So much nostalgia in this class, it's sort of painful. Each one them look so much like their parents. I'm seriously getting too old for this.' chuckling iruka leaned against his chair, bent on enjoying the thirty minutes of peace he would get.

Matoko reached the benches of the outside lunch area and spotted renji sitting down with his younger sister, kanami, who had just started the academy this year. Running over to them the pearlescent eyed girl waved happily to her blond friend, who blushed and grinned back at her.

"Mind if I sit with you and your nii-san kanami-chan?" matoko smiled at the six year old who nodded fervently before biting into her crab cake.

"I'm sorry about earlier renji-kun, you know hikaru-niisan doesn't mean any of it." matoko gave renji a sympathetic look as she sat down next to him, and began to open her bento box.

Shaking his head renji opened up his ramen container and said, "Don't worry 'bout it matoko-chan! I know your teme of a brother just like messing around with me, cause I'm the only one who's outsmarted him in name-calling." both children laugh as kanami blinks at them, confused at their conversation.

"Ne, Ne, renji-niisan! Aren't you going to give mato-chan her white ribbon??" matoko didn't notice as renji choked on his noodles, or when he threw a glare at his younger sister who gave him a one-tooth-missing-smile and kept eating her rice.

"Renji-kun! You got me a white ribbon! You didn't have to, you know the chocolate for valentine's day was for everyone." her bright smile made the blond uzumaki blush a deep red as he took out a small white ribbon from his pocket, matoko's name stitched in a fine silver thread.

"Umm...ano..it's just...I really..wan..." renji froze in his spot as both matoko and kanami looked over to see a girl shouting out renji's name in an excited fashion.

"RENJI-KUN! OH, RENJI-KUN! I thought I'd never find you." a girl with bright blue eyes sat down on renji's left side and clung to his arm. Cho akimichi, two years younger than her sister rikako, had harbored a crush on the blonde boy since sh had entered the academy last year. She had heard renji liked girls with long hair, and had grown her brown hair down to her shoulders. She wore a khaki top with a black tank top underneath, her black shorts cut to her knee, and her clan symbol was etched on each knee. She originally had no bangs on the front of her face, but after hearing another rumor that renji preferred girl with some time of bang on the front of their face, cho now had a four little bangs covering her forehead. Still clinging to renji, who's face was growing from worried to agitated, cho noticed matoko sitting on his right and his sister across from him. Huffing, cho released renji, who was more than relieved, and pointed an accusing finger at matoko. The uchiha girl blinked in utter confusion and simply continued to stare at cho.

"You! What are you doing here with renji-kun...uchiha matoko!" cho had at the point stood up from the bench and went to stand over matoko.

"Ano...I'm eating lunch with him and kanami-chan, do you want to join us cho-san?" her sweet smile made renji realize, matoko had no clue that cho had a crush on him, or that he had one on her.

"Don't 'cho-san' me uchiha! Just because I'm an underclassmen and a year younger than you, doesn't give you any advantage over renji-kun's feelings!" the brown-haired girl breathed in rapidly after saying all of that in one breath, and watched for matoko's reaction.

"...His feelings? What do you mean?" matoko cocked her head to the side, really confused as to what cho was saying.

"My rival for my true love's affections, and you don't even know it! Uchiha, you're are ..umm..what's that word? pa..pa..pathetic." matoko simply raised an eyebrow and looked over at kanami, who simple shrugged but pouted at the meanie who was shouting at her nii-san's 'girlfriend'.

"Ne...I..don't ..know what you're..." matoko looked over at renji, who had been glaring at cho the entire time.

"I'm right here you know, cho-san, I can hear everything you're saying." renji's blue eyes bore into cho's who gulped and laughed nervously.

"Gomen, renji-kun. I actually came here for my ribbon!" ignoring her previous conversation with matoko, who still remained confused, cho turned to renji with a wide smile.

"You..umm...ano..did...bring..me a white ribbon..right?" cho's cheeks turned a shade of pink as she twirled back and forth watching renji.

Thinking for a moment, renji recalled bringing more ribbons, the special one for matoko, one for the other girls, and he supposed one was for cho. The blonde boy dug in his other pocket and removed a white ribbon from it. He looked up to see a cho's blue eyes shine with, what he thought was, bright stars. Raising an eyebrow renji stuck out his hand to give cho the ribbon.

"Yea, here you can have this white ribbon...and..umm..thanks..for the chocolate." renji turned around to finish his ramen as cho held the white ribbon in her hand, like it was the most precious thing in the world.

"RENJI-KUN!!! Arigato, for such a wonderful ribbon! Now I know you really do care for me!" the brown-haired girl glomped the boy, who luckily for him just finished his ramen, and held on tight. Matoko smiled at the cute scene, while renji's little sister's pout deepened.

"Let go of nii-san cho-cho-san!! don't you see he never liked you! He has mato-chan!" the girl's green eyes glowed with anger as matoko watched the glares thrown between kanami and cho. Renji still stuck between them.

"kanami you stay out of this! It's clear he cares about me the most, cause he gave me a white ribbon first! So I win!!" Cho stuck out her tongue at kanami, causing the orange-haired girl to puff out her cheeks in anger.

"Nu-uh, renji brought a prettier one for mato-chan! Go, nii-san, go and show cho-cho she's wrong!" blue and green eyes stared at renji as he gulped. He was hoping to give this to matoko in private, therefore causing her to fall madly in love with him. But I suppose it was too much for a eight year old to dream.

"...renji-kun...?" renji turned to hear the sweet voice of matoko, who stared at him with worry and confusion. Sighing with resignation, renji reached into his pocket again, and took out a shiny white ribbon, with matoko's etched name showing in the sunlight.

Matoko let out a little squeak of surprise, and cho looked at it in shock. His blush now covering his entire face, the blonde boy gently grabbed matoko's wrist and tied the white ribbon.

"I...I-I...h-hope you like it...matoko-chan." renji quickly looked away, hoping the uchiha girl's reaction would be one he wanted.

"...arigato...renji..." renji held a face of happiness as he felt matoko hug him from the side. He grinned and rubbed the back of his head as kanami giggled, and cho let out a rather angry growl for a seven year old.

"You win this time uchiha! But renji-kun will love me, and not you!!" cho held on tightly to her white ribbon, huffed at matoko, and blew a kiss towards renji, before stomping off towards her classmates.

Matoko blinked in confusion. "Ne...renji-kun, kanami-chan...what does she mean I win this time?"

both uzumaki children fell to the ground in disbelief. "...Ano...don't worry about it matoko-chan...it-it's nothing important, hehehe." renji laughed as he was both relieved and disappointed that matoko, had no idea he was in love with her. 'I guess white day will have to do.'

"Mato-chan, mato-chan! What do you think about nii-san's ribbon?" kanami, though only six, knew when her brother was sad, and deciding it was best to change subjects, asked matoko a question.

"I love it!!! Arigato renji-kun! Out of all the ribbons I'll get today yours is my favoritest." matoko giggled as renji bobbed his head up and down to show he appreciated her kind words.

"Dobe, you better not be getting any ideas, just cause mato-chan 'loves' your gift!" renji's blue eyes turned to angrily stare at the source of the voice, hikaru.

"Hi nii-san! What took you so long?" matoko waved at hikaru and patted the seat next to her. Hikaru smirked as he passed the fuming renji and sat down.

"I was telling something to kin, and those stupid fan girls were offering their lunches to me again." the uchiha boy sighed in agitation as he bit into his fried potato.

"Gomen nii-san, but look! Renji got me this really really pretty white ribbon! It even has my name on it." matoko stuck out her wrist, so her brother could see the lovely ribbon her best friend had given her.

"It's all right I suppose...though when it comes to renji over here, nothing is ever really special." hikaru glared at renji, who glared back. Though he hated to admit it, the dobe had given his sister a pretty nice ribbon.

"I'd like to see you put some effort into the holiday teme, then again...party-poopers like you are never any fun." renji's blue eyes twinkled with victory upon seeing the hard stare hikaru was directing at him.

"Pfft, whatever." hikaru answered and went back to his lunch.

On the other side of the open lunch area. Rikako, yutsuko, konoe, nami, and nanaho eat lunch together, watching hikaru eating his with his sister, renji, and kanami. Yutsuko, who already had a white ribbon from some guy in their class, sighed with agitation.

"I got one from some random boy, yet not one from hikaru-kun? Why does he have to be so shy?"

"Shut it dog girl! We all know hikaru-kun hates you...besides he always gives his first ribbon to his first love which is obviously me!" rikako giggled with her own 'ingenious' remark and continued to watch hikaru as she finished the last of her food.

"Yea right, and sasuke-sama is in love with the hokage...you're such a liar pigtails!" yutsuko sneered at rikako, who wasn't taking the sarcasm very well.

"Not my fault you're so ugly, that hikaru-kun just talks to you out of pity." nanaho and konoe both had to hold down yutsuko as she tried to launch herself on a laughing rikako.

"Pl-please calm down yu-chan, before everyone starts to stare.." nanaho tried to reason with the angry inuzuka girl as she and konoe placed her back on the bench.

"Nana-chan is right yutsuko, stop being so troublesome." konoe said as well, just as yutsuko calmed down.

"fine...you win this time pigtails!"yutsuko turned to look the other way, to see nami giving the group a blank stare.

"What's up with you hyuga? You've been quiet all lunch time." yutsuko's question cause all the girls in the table to turn to look at nami, who still gave a blank stare.

"He hates us..." was the small murmur nami released.

"Pardon??" all four girls asked.

Pointing a finger at hikaru, nami replied, "Watch...and you'll see what I mean."

all five girls turned to look at hikaru as the scene unfolded before them. Though their voices were distant yutsuko was able to hear their voices well. Matoko was looking through her bag, trying to find her juice. After a couple of minutes of looking, she was unable to locate it. Her head turns to look at hikaru, and she says she's forgotten her juice at home. The five girls gasp, they see 'their' hikaru-kun give matoko a kind smile and shakes his head at her forgetfulness. He grabs another grape juice can from his bag and hands it to matoko, who bounces happily in her seat. As she drinks her juice, hikaru pats her head lovingly, before going back to his own lunch. All five turn back around and look down at their foods. Nanaho is the only one confused, since she is proudly not considered a fan girl by her cousin hikaru's eyes. Yutsuko is the first to look up a rather defeated look on her face.

"Guys...he never does anything like that to us..."

Rikako nodded her agreement to yutsuko's comment, "Hai...dog girl's right...he always yells at us, or ignores us...yet he's so kind to matoko-chan."

"I've been telling myself it's too much trouble chasing after hikaru-kun, maybe it's about time I listen." at that comment from konoe all four girls sigh.

"Hai...he hates us." all four girls now place their heads on the table in defeat. A couple of minutes pass before nanaho makes a rather hopeful comment.

"nee-chan?"

"What is it nana-chan?" comes nami's depressed voice.

"You and the rest of you girls should raise your heads..."

"and why is that nana-chan?" nami asks, as the other three girls peek up at her.

"Because...hikaru-kun is walking over here." at the mention of hikaru's name, all four girls look up to see, that nami, indeed wasn't lying, hikaru uchiha was walking towards their table. The four girls straighten up and wait patiently for their 'true love' to arrive.

Hikaru lets out a yawn as he reaches the table. His sister had managed to convince him to give his annoying fan girls their white ribbons now, so he wouldn't have to worry about it later. Staring at all of them, the black-haired boy already regretted it. 'Their eyes are shaped like hearts...I knew it...this is the last time I do any acts of kindness to these girls.'

"Hey..." his bored voice echoed through each of the girl's ears. "Here, happy white day or whatever...just take them...I'm tired of carrying them around." hikaru threw four white ribbons on the table, where rikako and yutsuko were the first to grab theirs. Konoe looked at hers and blushed, while nami tied hers with an air of pride.

Looking over at nanaho 'the normal one' as hikaru dubbed her after he found out she didn't have a crush on him, he said. "Ne, gomen nana-chan, I didn't bring one for you."

Smiling, nanaho shook her head, "It's all right hikaru-kun, I didn't bring you any chocolate remember? You asked me not to."

Blinking, hikaru placed his fisted hand on the palm of the other hand, "That's right! You're the only one of these bunch of idiotic girls who listened to me...arigato nana-chan."

"No problem hikaru-kun!" nanaho smiled at her cousin.

"It's obvious he meant to give me this white ribbon before you that's why this one that I'M wearing was thrown right by my bento!" rikako argued with yutsuko, who had a smirk plastered on her face.

"Pleeeease...as if hikaru-kun would ever do anything like that for you pigtails! You're obviously being delusional here." yutsuko shrugged as rikako huffed in anger.

"Both of you are wrong, as tou-san has told me, fate is a major part of your life, and hikaru-kun and I are fated to be together." nami watched with amusement as both rikako and yutsuko began to yell at her for being a conceited little hyuga.

Nanaho and hikaru both watched with annoyance at the girls behavior. The boys sighed and looked over at nanaho again. "Well I'm gonna go, class is gonna be starting soon anyways. So I'll see you in class nana-chan!" the four girls stopped and stared as hikaru smiled at nanaho, waving at her as he ran back to his table. Nanaho froze in her seat, as she felt four strong and very angry auras directed at her. Coughing the hyuga twin grabbed her bento and laughed nervously.

"Well, hikaru-kun's right, class is going to start soon...so...umm..I'll be he-heading out...bye!!" nanaho dashed out of the table and into the double doors of the school as her four friends chase after her. Yelling at her for 'having the same damn luck as matoko for making hikaru-kun smile at you'.

Matoko watched her friends go inside the school as she walked next to renji and hikaru, kanami had gone back with her class.

"Ne...nami-chan, yutsuko-chan, rikako-chan, and konoe-chan seem pretty angry...I wonder what happened?"

renji shrugged as he watched the girls through the window, "Don't know, but it happened right after hikaru-teme left them the white ribbons..." both matoko and renji turn to stare at hikaru who seems to be staring at anything but the school.

"Idiots..." was all matoko and renji hear him say as the three enter the school.

The rest of the academy day went on as normal as it could get. Iruka had managed to teach another good hour and a half of lessons, before the students completely zoned off. Kin and senichi had given a white ribbon to matoko, which caused hikaru to glare at them for even looking at his sister, and renji to make kin trip as he passed back to his desk. This resulted in the inuzuka and uzumaki to roll down the stairs in a small scrimmage, where iruka boiled over and yelled at them to point where both boys were deaf. Matoko had once again protected her brother from fan girls, which made the crazier ones then rikako and yutsuko to slap the poor uchiha girl in the face. Hikaru gulped as he felt the icy air suddenly filling the room, and backed up as matoko ran and pulled the girls heads together, making both girls lose consciousness. Iruka didn't try to punish matoko, for she was doing it for respect of her brother, and the girls had learned their lessons. To this day, all the boys now make sure to never make matoko angry, or upset. The poor and tired man was even more happy when he heard the bell for class to be dismissed, and ushered the kids out.

Yutsuko and rikako attached themselves to hikaru, as he and his sister walked out of the building. Kin and renji tagging behind, shaking their heads in disapproval. Masaru had managed to convince his sister konoe to not cause trouble and attach herself to hikaru too, and both went home. Senichi had decided that hikaru was mad enough with his fan girls, and the fact he had given matoko a ribbon and decided to walk with his sister home. Nami had stated that she was too mature to hang on to hikaru, and knew he would eventually come to her, which meant both hyuga twins had gone home as well.

As they reached the gates of the academy, hikaru's left twitching eye increased in speed as he finally managed to pull off yutsuko and rikako.

"All right that's it! Get the hell off me and go the hell home you stupid girls!"

Rikako smiled and waved as she spotted her younger sister, cho waited her around the corner. "Oh, you're so silly hikaru-kun! I'll see you tomorrow, and thank you for the white ribbon!" the akimichi girl blew a kiss at hikaru before running off towards cho, who had been giving glares at matoko.

"All right you're time you annoying little pup! Come on, we gotta go, mom got mad at us last time for coming home past curfew!" kin had grabbed yutsuko's hood and started dragging her as she waved and claimed out her love for hikaru. "See you guys later! Hope ya liked the ribbon matoko-chan!" kin waved and grinned as he continued to drag his sister.

Hikaru grunted and began to walk down the streets towards the uchiha compound. "Thank gods that's over, I thought they'd never leave."

Matoko and renji laughed as they stayed behind waiting for kanami. "Ne, renji-kun, arigato for the white ribbon again!"

"No problem matoko-chan I'm just glad you liked it!" renji gave her a wide grin as a blush settled on his cheeks.

"Mato-chan! Hurry it up, tou-san doesn't like it when we're late!" hikaru shouted out from the end of the street.

"Coming nii-san! Gomen I have to go renji-kun! Say hi to naruto-jiisan for me ok?" matoko waved off to renji as she ran over to her brother.

"I will! See ya tomorrow matoko-chan! I'll see ya later too teme!" renji waved back as kanami came up to him, ready to go home.

As matoko and hikaru walked down the road leading to the compound, matoko counted her white ribbons. "Three, I have three white ribbons. One from kin-kun, one from senichi-kun, and one from haji-kun, you know the one you play tag with?" matoko smiled as she showed her brother.

"Yea, yea, I've seen them a billion times already mato-chan, so quit it! Besides I don't like the way they were looking at you when they gave you those ribbons." hikaru pouted as he shoved away his sister's arm.

"Stop being so overprotective nii-san! Or like kaa-san said, you'll turn just like tou-san." matoko shook her finger and nodded with a serious look on her face.

"What if I wanna be like tou-san? It's a free country I can do what I wan...hey...mato-chan...where's the dobe's ribbon he gave you?" hikaru pointed to the empty spot on matoko's wrist. He raised an eyebrow as matoko blushed.

"Umm...a-ano...I...i-it's up here." matoko pointed to her ponytail, which now had a glistening white ribbon adorning it.

Sighing hikaru patted her head, "You really like it...don't you?" hikaru turned to see his sister blush even more and bob her head up and down.

"You know ...I don't care if it's from the dobe...but tou-san isn't gonna be very happy when he sees all those ribbons...especially that one on your hair." he pointed to her new hair piece before looking forward again.

Gulping, matoko pokes her two index fingers together, "I-I suppose you-you're right nii-san...nii-san...do-do y-you think I can outrun him?" matoko asked nervously as they entered the gates to the uchiha compound.

Laughing hikaru shrugged, "Now is no better day to find out mato-chan."

"That doesn't make me feel better nii-san..."

Somewhere inside the uchiha household, sasuke lets out a loud sneeze as he signs another scroll. Walking in hinata bounces her ten month old son yuki. "Catching a cold sasuke dear?"

Shaking his head, sasuke grabs a tissue from his table and blows his nose. "Ie, I think someone's just gossiping about me...damn people, you'd figured they'd stop by now."

Giggling hinata sits next to her husband, and lets yuki crawl around the room. "Must be someone really close to you, for you to have sneezed like that don't you think?"

Letting out another sneeze, sasuke blows into his tissue again, "Pfft, whatever..."

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**To sleepy to comment...must...close...eyes..and ...sleep...please review though...-leaves to bed-**


	10. Ch 9:A sickness and a note

**Well, I'm back everyone! With a whole new tan and a whole new chapter! Though you didn't really need to know the tan part lol. Mexico was great I had so much fun and now that I had a good vacation it's time to go back to work ne? I give to you chapter nine of TAT. Matoko gets a cold and goes to stay with they hyugas for a day. and since she's sick and all, for once those spelling mistakes you see...are on purpose! it's suppose to make her sound all congested and stuff, hopefully it works lol. We also see the start of the path where matoko's life begins to change. Speaking of that, it appears my plot bunny met another plot bunny and they multiplied... T.T... so I'm thinking of ending TAT around chapter...umm twelve maybe and continue on with my now fully developed plot in another story. Since TAT was originally just a bunch of one-shots. I'll go more into details once I have the whole idea planned out myself. For now please enjoy this chapter and look forward to the next one when the uchiha couple go back down memory lane! Please review if you enjoyed!**

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, xX Alpha Clique Xx, Tw33ty JR, puertorrican-babe, and Moto Moon. You are all very kind with your reviews and I hope to continue to make you happy with these chapters. Thank you very much and well...I love ya'll lol!**

**Disclaimer:if naruto were mine...sasuke would have never left...yep. **

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha children are mine so please no stealy!

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"Kaa-san...I'm not snick though, I can gop to school." the small uchiha girl pleaded to her mother, who was trying her best to walk around with an eight year old girl attached to her leg.

"Sweetie, you couldn't even say the word sick right, you're congested and you have a runny nose, I'm sorry matoko but you're sick and I'm not letting you go to school." hinata managed to pry her daughter off her leg, and set her down on the sofa in the living room.

"B-b-ut..kaa-san...I really like the academy...I really don't whant..to miss...todayhs lesshon." Matoko pouted as hinata handed her a tissue to wipe away her nose.

"I know you wanted to, but that cold isn't going to go away if you don't rest. Besides matoko, you know this is partly your fault." hinata placed her arms on her hips and stared at her sick daughter.

Looking down, matoko played with her fingers. "I..I-I know...b-but how wash I suppose to know tat the water balloons weren't a goosh idea for yuki's 1st birthday pwarty?"

Grabbing the cold medicine from the kitchen cabinet, hinata returned and gave matoko a spoonful before replying, "Which is why I told you not to go and play with the other kids, you know your immune system is very fragile between the winter and spring seasons."

"Kaa-san...fine, I won't gop to school, but whost going to take care of me and yuki?? you gotta to go to your studemts today don't you?" the young girl grabbed a piece of her hair and twirled around as she looked at her mother.

"Hai, I do...I'll figure something out...I'm not meeting my team for another three hours." hinata pondered on her own thoughts as matoko pouted again.

"Neee, if you can't find someone kaa-san, you shuuld just let me gop, with nii-san."

"Matoko, this is getting us nowhere, my decision is final, please understand you have to get better, or you might get your other friends sick." hinata looked over a list as she grabbed and placed things into yuki's baby bag.

"But...kaa..." matoko was interrupted when she felt a hand land on her head. Looking up she smiled and let a small cough. Her father always had the habit of doing that to her each morning.

Walking over to his daughter sasuke sat firmly on the couch, and placed his forehead with matoko's.

"Matoko, stop arguing with your mother. You're sick, so you're not allowed to go to the academy today, understood?" matoko pouted but nodded under the intense gaze of her father.

"Hai, tou-zan."

Nodding sasuke got up the couch and walked over to his wife. Stopping next to hinata he whispered to her ear, "Make sure you put some medicine to lower her fever in yuki's baby bag. The fever hasn't gone down since yesterday."

"Hai, I will. But are you sure you can't stay and take of her and yuki today?" the woman's pearl eyes glanced worriedly at her young daughter as she blew into a tissue.

"Ie, I have a meeting with naruto and the counsel, and I'm not sure how long it'll last." the man smirked as he saw the downcast look his wife gave to the floor below. "Gomen hinata, but it won't take long I'll pick up the brats as soon as I'm done. Ok?" sasuke placed a soft kiss on his wife's forehead as she nodded slowly.

"Hai, I'll go get yuki then. Watch matoko for me, I won't take long." the small woman placed her jounin vest down by a chair as she walked over towards the infant's room.

As sasuke sat back down on the couch, a hot cup of green tea in hand, he spotted his oldest son entering the living room his pack already slung on his shoulders.

The boy let out a yawn as he reached the edge of the couch where his sister and father sat. "Ohayo, tou-san. Ohayo mato-chan."

Sasuke nodded his reply and took another sip of his tea. Matoko tried to reply but suddenly got a large fit of coughs, worrying both sasuke and hikaru.

"Ne, mato-chan you all right? I thought your cold got all better." the worried brother watched as sasuke rubbed matoko's back soothingly.

"Hn, it seems your cold is getting worse not better. You are definitely going straight to bed once you get to the hyuga compound." the man spoke with an angry tone but his onyx eyes clearly showed worry for his only daughter.

"...I don't want to...bwut if it'll make me fweel better then ok tou-zan." the small girl accepted the tea her father offered her.

All three turned around as hinata walked in briskly from the hallway, a squirming yuki in her arms. "Matoko! Oh, sweetie I heard your coughs from yuki's room are you all right?" handing her baby son to sasuke she knelt down beside her sick daughter and checked her forehead again.

"Kaa-san...ano..I gotta go to school...so can I..umm go alone?" though he felt bad for his sister the thought that he could go walking alone to the academy today brought excitement to hikaru.

"Ie, kid. You're walking with me." sasuke chuckled as his son pouted and looked the other way.

"nee-nee!! nee-nee!" yuki reached for the sick girl, trying to escape his father's grip.

"I'm sowwy yudki-chan, but I can't carry you today I'm snick." matoko gave her one year old brother a small smile before getting into another coughing fit.

"We should get going to the hyuga compound. Matoko needs to rest now." hinata gently helped matoko get up and put on her coat. She smiled as sasuke handed her yuki and her jounin vest.

"I swear woman, why you accepted to continue active duty as a jounin even with a sick kid and an infant, I'll never understand." sasuke scoffed as hinata simply giggled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"I have my reasons sasuke, now you two should get going, hikaru doesn't like being late to the academy, or his father being late for an important meeting." hinata patted hikaru's head as she spoke and pushed his back towards the door. Though with much more difficulty on her part, she patted her husband's rather high head and pushed him towards the door as well.

The man simply shook his head and grabbed his and hikaru's coat. Sasuke turned to see his youngest son waving at him

"bye, to-to!"

He glared at his giggling son and closed the door. As he and hikaru walked down towards the exit of the uchiha compound, a smile replaced the frown on sasuke's face.

"Well then, let's get going as well matoko dear. I have to meet my genin team in fifteen minutes." smiling as yuki played with her hair, hinata helped matoko cover herself up with her coat's hood, and all three left their home to head towards the hyuga compound.

Though it was only mid-march, konoha was still cool during the mornings in the early spring. Which caused matoko's cold chills to increase as she sluggishly followed after her mother down the road to the hyuga compound. Matoko had only been here three times since she could remember. As her mother had told her many times before, obaa-san didn't really find her tou-san a pleasant man to be around. Matoko tried her best not to giggle at the thought of her grandpa and her father arguing, when she and her mother reached the front gates. Two hyuga guards opened the large gates and quickly smiled as they bowed.

"Good morning hinata-sama, matoko-sama. What brings you both here?" the guards asked the two uchiha females as they waved at the giggling yuki.

"Ohayo boys. I'm here to see neji-niisan or tou-sama...whoever is available." hinata replied as she rubbed matoko's back again, another cough fit affecting the girl.

One of the guards nodded and went inside to find one of the said people. The other moved aside to allow hinata and matoko to enter.

"One of them will be here with you shortly hinata-sama. Excuse me I must return to my duties." the guard bows to them again and leaves back to the gates.

"Don't worry matoko as soon as tou-sama or neji-niisan come I'll ask them to give you my room. It's the warmest in the compound." hinata smiled sympathetically at her daughter as she nodded and tried to hold in another cough.

"I didn't expect you here today hinata-sama, how are you?"hinata turned with a happy grin on her face as she recognized the source of the voice, neji.

Putting yuki down next to matoko, hinata ran over to the young hyuga man and embraced him. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other neji-niisan!"

Chuckling neji returned the embrace, "Hai, it has been, I'm glad you're doing well hinata-sama, yuki and matoko seem to be doing good as well."

"Yuki is neji, but that's the reason why I came over...matoko's caught a cold and I need someone to watch over her while I'm off with my genin team for a couple of hours." hinata turns to give a sad glance at her sick daughter, who's sitting on the edge of the old wooden floors. Yuki is walking around the girl trying to perfect his walk.

"Ah, I see. And I'm assuming you can't cancel your jounin duties for today?" neji nods when hinata shakes her head sadly and turns to look at her two youngest children.

"I tried to last night when sasuke told me he would be going to an important meeting with naruto-kun and the counsel for most of the morning, but I've been canceling a lot lately and if I did it again I would have to retire as a jounin." hinata gave a shy regretful smile as neji gave her a disapproving stare.

"Hinata-sama, you have a sick daughter and and infant son, why you wish to continue as an active jounin I will never understand." neji raised and eyebrow as hinata giggled at his comment. "May I ask what was so funny of what I just said?"

covering her mouth to stop the laughter hinata handed the baby bag to neji. "Sasuke said the same thing, now please neji-niisan take care of them both for me. I won't take long, but I'm sure sasuke will be the one to pick matoko and yuki up."

"I believe uchiha and I might for once be right on the same thing hinata-sama, but I won't argue. I'm sure hiashi-sama would be glad to see his grand-daughter and grandson." neji smiled slightly as he looked over to see yuki staring innocently at his sister who was sneezing into a tissue.

"Hai, I'm sure tou-sama will be pleased...but neji-niisan you're the head of the hyuga clan now, you don't have to call tou-sama 'sama' anymore." hinata smiled as neji rolled his eyes at her.

"It's a sign of respect hinata-sama, I'm starting to think the uchiha's bad habit of being uncharacteristically rude to people is rubbing off on you." neji just shook his head as hinata gave him a small 'gomen' and walked over to say goodbye to her children.

"All right matoko, I'm off. Please get some rest while you're here, and don't try to sneak away without drinking your medicine or you'll never get better." though her voice was stern she smiled as her daughter nodded her head once.

"Hai, kaa-zan."

"Make sure your brother doesn't get into any trouble either. He's a devious as his father and only a year old." hinata let out a small laugh as yuki giggled to her words.

Standing up, hinata put on her vest and began to walk back to the front gates. "Your father will pick you up somewhere past lunch time, so behave for your uncle and grandfather ok?" she waved at neji and her children before disappearing into the front gates.

"matoko, how are you feeling?" though her neck muscles were telling her not to move, matoko turned to look at her uncle neji, who had bend down to check her forehead.

"Not good oji-zan, I thought it wazn't so bad...but my head fweels like it's gonna explote." as matoko finished the sentence another coughing fit came and prevented her from continuing.

"I can't blame you, you have a very high fever. I will take you to your mother's room, so you can rest. I found some medicine in the baby bag as well, I'll make one of the hyuga women come in and give some to you when you wake up again. Come along." yuki already carried in one of his arms, neji scooped up matoko and began to walk over towards hinata's old room.

Matoko already tired from the high fever, was dozing off on her uncle's shoulder. Yuki on the other hand seemed to be more hyper than ever as he poked on neji's forehead, where the hyuga curse mark still remained.

"Ow, cut it out yuki. Your uncle's forehead is certainly not a toy for you to be playing with." the hyuga head grunted as the small uchiha simply giggled and continued to poke his head. "You are becoming as insufferable as your father yuki."

Neji continued to hold in his clear annoyance for the infant, as he reached hinata's old room. Entering it he settled matoko down on the old bed and walked over to a chair, where a large comforter was placed. Matoko let out a sneeze as she laid down on the pillow in the bed. Closing her eyes the small girl sniffed and grabbed a tissue from her coat to clean her nose again. Neji bend down again and placed yuki on the bed with matoko. Lifting her up carefully, neji removed matoko's coat and placed it on the floor beside the bed. The hyuga man then placed matoko back down on the bed and covered her up with the comforter.

"Hopefully this will keep you warm and lower your fever. Now go to sleep matoko." neji smiled as the girl merely nodded and closed her eyes to wander into sleep. Looking over he saw yuki crawling his way across the bed to matoko. Scooping him up neji shook his head.

"Sorry yuki, but your sister requires sleep to help with her cold. You'll be coming with me. Let us see how much of your mother you inherited as we go into my daily clan meetings with the hyuga elders." neji continued to talk to the small uchiha as he closed the door to the room, yuki simply staring at his uncle. As his voice slowly disappeared down the hallway, matoko let her body fully let go and welcomed sleep.

Hours later, or so matoko's body told her it was, she opened her groggy eyes and looked around the room. White ceiling, wooden patterns, the smell of green tea, nice cool bed sheets surrounding her, and the sounds of birds chirping outside, yep she was definitely alive and awake. Taking in a deep breath through her nose for the first time in two days, matoko looked around to see if she could tell what time it was. 'No clock, it figures, grandpa doesn't really like clocks in his house.' the small girl stood up carefully from the bed and stretched. Her muscles still ached from her cold, and she would need another tissue for her running nose, but her head seemed back to normal. Once again looking around, matoko looked for some slippers to walk around the house. She still had a cold and walking around barefoot would make her mother and father upset with her. A pair of blue slippers caught her eyes. As she walked across the room to put them on, matoko heard the sliding door to the room being opened. The woman's long brown hair and the back of her kimono was all the uchiha girl could see as said woman closed the door. Matoko's suspicions were cut short when the woman turned and smiled at matoko.

"Ah! Hanabi-bachan!" sniffing her nose, matoko ran to her aunt and hugged her.

The woman laughed as she patted the small girl's head. "I'm glad to see you're doing much better, and here neji was telling me you looked horrible."

"I was ba-chan, but kaa-san made me drink some medicine before we came over here and then I fell asleep for a long long time, so my fever's all gone." hanabi smiled as matoko explained everything to her.

"It's good that you're doing better than, but just in case." the hyuga woman took out a bottle and a small spoon. "Here take some of this, it'll help with your congestion, even if it does taste like crap." matoko laughed as her aunt made a face.

After taking two spoonfuls, matoko completely agreed with her aunt on the taste, and asked for a glass of water.

"I'd figured you'd agree with me, come one then, we'll go to the kitchen and get you some water. Hopefully neji will be done with the clan meeting so you can play with yuki." hanabi led matoko out of the room and down the hall towards the kitchen.

"Yuki-chan's with ji-san?" matoko waited for her aunt to nod before asking, "where's haito-kun ba-chan?"

"He's still sleeping, my baby son is turning out to be exactly like his father...too serious and no fun." the woman let out a small sigh but laughed when matoko giggled and nodded in agreement.

"ba-chan, once I get my glass of water, do you think I can go see grandpa?" the girl's pearlescent eyes watched the garden of the courtyard, as they both made another turn in the hallway.

"I don't see why not, he's been asking about you and yuki since you both arrived. Ah, here we are." hanabi knocked on the door twice before opening it a bit. Matoko watched as her aunt seemed to be talking to someone, before the door was fully opened. "Come on in matoko. Everyone's cooking lunch so try not to distract them." hanabi grinned as matoko pouted and shook her head.

The girl was about to enter, but noticed her aunt still remained by the door. "You're not coming ba-chan?"

"Sorry sweetie, I have to make sure your uncle doesn't murder the elders. He's been getting really angry at them lately. Tou-sama is in his study. Once you get back out from the kitchen, take a left and go straight take another left and it's the fourth door." hanabi waved at matoko before leaving down to the right of the hallway.

Sniffing again, matoko rubbed her nose and walked over towards the refrigerator. She grabbed the handle and opened it carefully. The workers in the kitchen watched with amusement as the small girl reached on her tip-toes for a bottle of water. Closing the door again, matoko blushed to see a lot of clear eyes staring at her. The uchiha girl walked briskly towards the exit and bowed before leaving the room.

"Thank you for letting me into your kitchen."

one of the older chefs laughed as he continued to chop fish. "What a adorable girl! She looks exactly like lady hinata don't she?!"

All the other people in the kitchen joined in the chef's laughter and nodded as they continued prepare the meal for the day.

'They are such strange people, but kaa-san's right they are very nice and friendly.' matoko opened her bottle and took a sip from the water, the liquid easing her still somewhat sore throat. The little girl stopped as she turned to the hallway her grandfather's study should be. Counting as she passed each door her small feet stopped in front of the fourth and last door in that hallway. The small uchiha girl gulped, hoping she hadn't gotten the wrong door. She knocked on the wall next to the door slightly, and waited for an answer. Her eyes automatically lit up when she heard her grandfather's gruff response to enter.

"G-Grandpa hiashi?" the girl meekly asked as she entered the study.

A tall man with grayish brown hair turned his cold opaque eyes to the small form of the girl standing just inside the room. His stoic expression turned happy as he smiled and stood up from his desk. "My dear grand-daughter I thought you would sleep the entire time you were here. Come in, come in."

Matoko closed the door gently and ran over to her grandfather embracing him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry grandpa, but I'm still a bit sick. At least I'm not talking all funny now."

"Yes, I heard from your uncle you had a speech problem from all that nose congestion you had." the older man chuckled as the small girl blushed.

"Hai, but I got some medicine in the morning from kaa-san, and hanabi-bachan gave me some awhile back, so I'm almost all better grandpa!" the small girl stretched her arms out in excitement but sneezed after a few seconds.

"Don't push yourself matoko, you're 'almost' better but not yet." hiashi let the girl sit next to him as he returned to his scrolls on his desk.

"Hai, gomen grandpa." the girl watched as her grandfather read a scroll about the hyuga blood-limit the byakugan.

"How are you doing in your jyuken practice matoko?" the older man asked as he continued to read the scroll.

"Umm..ano...it's going very well grandpa. Kaa-san is going to teach my the sixty-four palm technique soon." the girl blushed with happiness when her grandfather patted her head gently.

"As it should be. I expected a lot from you because of the uchiha blood that also runs in you, and it appears I was not mistaken. You make me very proud matoko." hiashi stopped his reading to give his grand-daughter a small but very rare smile.

"Ano...arigato..grandpa." matoko's blush intensified and her smile widened. She never got praise like this from her father, it was always her brother. As that thought crossed her mind, matoko's smile wavered until it simply vanished.

"Is something wrong matoko? Your fever is returning, or do you want to sleep again?" though he wasn't directly looking at her, hiashi knew something bothered matoko's good mood.

"..un..no nothing's wrong grandpa. I'm just a bit tired from the medicine, but I'm not sleepy...it's nothing ..umm yea." hiashi raised an eyebrow, the girl couldn't even form a perfect sentence.

"I'm proud of you matoko, though you may carry the title of an uchiha, hyuga blood still runs in you strongly. You're the first uchiha born with the byakugan, please don't let anyone ever tell you, that you shouldn't be proud of what you are, of who you are." as he spoke, hiashi's usual cold eyes turned gentle and sad as he petted matoko's head again.

Matoko simply stared at the floor, sniffing up her nose of any unwanted mucus. Her mind wasn't on her cold though, it was on her father. 'Grandpa...I know you're right...but...he..he's MY p-papa...I just want to make him proud...that's all.' holding in another sneeze, sad pearlescent eyes looked up at hiashi's eyes.

"I know grandpa, I won't let that happen...promise." though the small girl smiled, the hyuga man couldn't help but believe that she was lying to him.

"Matoko...has your father..." both turned to look as the door is opened rather roughly. A heaving hanabi enters a scowl on her face. Hiashi sighs in agitation for being interrupted his time with matoko.

"Tou-sama, I suggest you go into the meeting room...now! Neji isn't very happy with those arrogant pigs you call elders." hanabi notices matoko and gives a quick smile before looking at her father again.

Rubbing his head, hiashi stands and walks over to hanabi. "What have they done to him this time?"

"Well, they're taking the whole curse mark shouldn't have been removed from you thing to their advantage again." hanabi let out a sigh as she folded her arms across her chest.

"I see, return to the meeting room I will be there shortly." the hyuga man looks down in surprise to feel something tugging his robe.

"Ah! Yuki-chan, let go of grandpa and come here." matoko sneezes as she finishes and stretches out her arms from her spot in the desk.

"nee-nee!" giggling yuki let's go of hiashi's robe and walks clumsily towards his sister, letting out baby babble as he goes towards her.

"I took yuki from neji, I was afraid he'd use the poor little guy as a weapon. I'll see you there tou-sama." waving at her niece and nephew, hanabi runs off towards the meeting room.

Hiashi shakes his head and walks over to his two grandchildren. He smiles as he sees matoko bouncing yuki on her lap, causing the little boy to shriek in happiness. Bending down he ruffles matoko's hair.

"Remember what I told you matoko, and don't hesitate to tell me anything...your problems included. Do you understand?"

"Hai, grandpa I do, but don't worry...I'm fine." matoko smiles at her grandfather before returning to her bouncing game with yuki.

Frowning slightly, hiashi pinches yuki's cheeks gently and rises to leave the office. He looks at matoko one last time before leaving the office. 'I need to speak to him soon.'

As soon as the man closed the door, matoko stopped bouncing yuki an d looked down at the floor. 'Gomen grandpa, but...I...i-if I say something to you...I'll...f-feel like I'm t-telling on papa.' matoko looked up at her little brother who gave her a pout and proceeded to play with her bracelet. The girl giggled and got up the baby in her arms and headed outside.

"I'm tired of being in stuffy rooms all day aren't you yuki-chan? Let's go outside into the gardens." the girl grunted as she shifted yuki's weight to her right side, so she could open the sliding door.

Once outside the girl put down her baby brother and breathed in the fresh air. "See? This is much better isn't it yuki?" matoko giggled as her brother edged himself down from the wooden floors onto the soft green grass of the gardens.

"I guess you've been wanting to go outside for awhile huh?" matoko climbed down the steps to follow her curious brother as he stopped in front of the koi pond to splash around the water.

Down the corridor matoko could hear the muffled cries of people clearly fighting over something. Choosing to ignore them, since she knew how easily angered her uncle could be, matoko laid down on the grass to watch the clouds as they passed by. Her baby brother now busy covering her hair with flowers and little rocks he could find in the garden. The medicine finally beginning to make her drowsy, the indigo-haired girl closes her eyes and lets the somewhat chilly air blow around her. Minutes pass in peace, all the girl could hear is the rustling of her brother's feet and his giggles of enjoyment, the wind, and her breathing. Her eyebrows form a scowl as she hears an unknown voice calling to her.

"Matoko..."

getting up the girl looks around to find the source of the voice, but finds nothing. She then realizes her baby brother isn't putting things in her hair anymore. Matoko gets up quickly letting the flower petals and pebbles fall to the ground. Looking around she finds yuki sitting on a step looking at a piece of folded paper. She runs over to the baby and kneels down beside him.

"Let me see yuki-chan, what did you find?" matoko stretches out her hand and waits for her baby brother to hand over the paper to her. The baby looks at her and then at the paper. Letting out a small giggle yuki places the paper on her hand and smiles wide.

"Me! Me!"

Patting his head matoko sits down next to him and looks at the paper, which looks like a letter. "That's right yuki-chan you found the paper! Good job." this earned the boy to hold his head up high in a manner he's seen his father do many times. "That's right you should be proud yuki-chan!" giggling at her baby brother's antics matoko shakes her head and looks at the letter again.

"Strange...it...i-it has my name on it." matoko blinks, confused as to why someone would send her a letter, she was only eight years old after all. Standing up matoko grabs yuki's chubby hand and goes up to the house again. "Come on yuki-chan, tou-san always told us to never open a strange letter without an adult with us, we should go find neji-jisan."

"Ji-ji?" was the baby's reply as they turn a corner into another hallway.

"Hai, now I wonder where the meeting room is..." matoko's question is answered as she sees a long file of old hyuga men leave a room, all have an angry expression on their faces. The girl walks over to the room and sees her grandpa tapping angrily on the floor, her aunt hanabi rubbing her uncle neji's back soothingly. Her grandpa is the first to spot her as she waits outside to be let in.

"What is it matoko? Does yuki need to be changed?" at the mention of the children's names neji and hanabi look over at them.

"uh...ie, he's fine grandpa ...but...umm.." matoko looks up as her grandfather gives her a sad smile.

"Then forgive me, I must go and attend to some business, it appears the elders have gotten more idiotic due to age." coughing hiashi nods to neji who gives a grateful smile, and leaves the room.

"What is it matoko? Are you not feeling well again?" matoko looks over at neji who gets up from the floor and dusts himself off.

"...I-It's not that...umm...I f-found this...well yuki found it b-but it has my name o-on it." the girl hands over the folded letter to her uncle who stares at it suspiciously.

"Hanabi...take yuki over to the courtyard to play with our son..."

Raising an eyebrow hanabi says, "But..neji our son is..." hanabi nods when she notices the serious look her husband gives her. "Hai." she picks up yuki who fusses for a minute but grabs her hair and begins to play with it. The hyuga woman gives matoko a warm smile before leaving the room.

"Neji-jisan?" matoko gives her uncle a worried look as she walks over and hugs him.

"It's all right matoko, don't be scared. I just thought it'd be easier if your brother wasn't here. Now let me read the letter and I'll tell you if it's really for you or not." as he spoke neji lead matoko back outside with him as they both sat down on the wooden floor.

Opening the letter neji reads the words carefully looking for any copying of handwriting, or if he recognizes the writer, or if this is just a prank made by some little brat, or a secret letter meant for someone else. His eyes widened in shock and anger. The hyuga prodigy clenches the letter in his hand as his byakugan activates. Once again worried matoko tugs on her uncle's sleeve.

"Neji-jisan? I-Is...a-are you all right?" hearing the scared tone matoko was directing at him, neji calms down and deactivates his blood-limit.

He looks down at the frightened girl and rubs her cheek gently. "Hmm, I'm all right. I'm still a bit angry from the meeting is all. It appears the letter is a prank from some little brat probably a fresh-out-of-the-academy genin, nothing to worry about ." neji gives her a reassuring smile as he gets up from the floor, the letter in hand.

"Oh, o-ok if you say so neji-jisan." smiling matoko grabs her uncle's white yukata sleeve.

"Let's go get your things ready your father should be here soon.." as he finished his sentence hanabi appears from around the corner yuki tagging behind.

"Her father's already here." she points behind her, and right on cue sasuke turns the corner and smiles at his daughter.

"Tou-san!!!" letting go of neji, matoko runs over and hugs her father. Sasuke lifts her up and hold her against his side.

"Glad to see you too. How's that cold of yours?" sasuke shakes his head in amusement as matoko proves she's better by breathing through her nose.

"All better tou-san! Hanabi-bachan gave me more medicine to make it all go away." matoko smiled at her aunt who had gone to stand beside neji.

"That's good, it appears she got some good habits from her sister after all." sasuke smirked as hanabi gave him a glare.

"Bite me sasuke." huffing hanabi turned and walked back down towards the meeting room.

"Can you try to 'not' fight with my wife every time you visit uchiha?" neji asked as he picked up yuki and walked over to sasuke and matoko.

"Sorry, I can't help it. She's just as easy to make fun of as hinata." sasuke continued to smirk as he put down matoko to accept yuki from neji.

Looking down at matoko, who smiled at him, neji remembered the letter he had in his pocket. "Matoko, why don't you go grab yuki's baby bag. It's in my study, next to the meeting room." matoko nodded and left to go to the meeting room leaving the uchiha and hyuga prodigies alone.

"what's up hyuga?" sasuke asked as he placed his baby son on the floor to play with his keys.

"Uchiha...matoko handed this to me not too long ago. Read it and you'll know what I'm trying to say." handing the letter to sasuke, neji sighed and rubbed his head.

Already concerned by neji's rather worried and agitated behavior, sasuke opened up the letter and read what was inside:

_Uncle sasuke, it's good that you'll be the one to read this, since it is directed at you. I'm hoping you haven't forgotten who I am, but I suppose my identity isn't that important. Your beautiful daughter though is a different matter, she's definitely important. Four years ago, you took away the only family I had...my father itachi. I'm sure by now you know exactly who I am, but like I said it's not that important. It that little visit he made you, he proposed an arranged marriage between matoko and me. Yes, I'm sure it's all come back to you now hasn't it uncle sasuke? Now that your memory has returned I'll get to the true purpose of this letter. Uncle, don't assume that my father's death ended the plan for an arranged marriage. No, far from it, I still want to marry matoko, and I will. Of course, she's eight and I'm eleven a bit too young for marriage I suppose. So for now I won't come for her, but when she's old enough I will. Whether you accept the marriage or not...well I don't give a damn. If you get in my way uncle I'll kill you and your entire family...that includes the dumbass of a so called hokage's too. I'm glad we could could come to an understanding uncle sasuke. I can't wait to be able to see my future wife. _

_Sincerely, Ichi-san_

_oh, and my matoko looks even more beautiful since I last saw her, I can't wait till she's older._

Sasuke stared at the paper, his sharingan rotating with every sentence. A growl escaped his lips, as he clenched the paper and punched a wooden post next to him. The loud noise from the impact scared the baby causing him to burst into tears. Looking down, sasuke sighed and deactivated his sharingan. He bend down and lifted his crying son patting his back to calm him back down. The letter was still in his other hand as he continued to have a tight grip on it. Yuki's crying slowly faded as he fell asleep on his father's shoulder. Sasuke let out deep breathes as he leaned against a wall, trying his best not to destroy the next moving thing in his path. Neji leaned against the wall next to sasuke and closed his eyes in thought.

"Control yourself uchiha, your anger will not get us anywhere..." the hyuga man looked over at sasuke who kept his eyes hidden behind his long black bangs. "By the way that boy's tone in that letter, I'm assuming he's talking about the kidnap attempt on matoko when she was four?"

Sasuke looked up and straightened himself before placing his son on the crook of his bend arm. "Yea, itachi had come to create documents for an arranged marriage...the guy was beyond crazy by then, talking to me as if those ten years of running and tracking didn't exist. I knew he knew my answer would obviously be no, and he tried to take matoko by force."

"And..you killed him?" neji looked over to see the upset uchiha nod. "It appears itachi uchiha's son is doing this to anger you, and not entirely for the sake of having matoko."

"That's what I'm thinking too, but if that were the case...then he would already have done something." sasuke's left eye twitched as he continued to clench and unclench the letter in his hand.

"Remember uchiha, the boy's only eleven, as great as his articulate language is he's probably still perfecting the sharingan." neji let out a heavy sigh as he directed his gaze to the small running waterfall near the garden grounds.

"So...what you're suggesting is...just keep an eye on my daughter, and don't concern myself with the monster's son until she's older?" sasuke's onyx eyes looked over at neji as he spoke.

"Oh, concern yourself with him...just don't make it damn obvious...the only ones that will know about this is hiashi-sama and myself, and whoever you chose to tell uchiha. We don't want to worry matoko right now, let her live her childhood freely." as he finishes neji's mouth forms a tight line.

Letting out another sigh, sasuke looks down at his sleeping son, who nuzzles closer to his father's warmth. "Hai, you're right...for now we'll keep this a secret. I'll let naruto know, so he can be ready at moment's notice in case something should happen."

"Well said uchiha, but...don't tell hinata-sama either..." neji turns to look at sasuke, who has a face shock and anger.

"Why not?! Hinata is her mother! She has every right to know.."the uchiha glares at the hyuga head.

"Because...you know her condition ...sasuke, her heart can't take something like that...at least not now...when she know her daughter can't defend herself..." neji's eyes dull in bitterness as he looks at sasuke.

"...neji..."

"The injury I caused her...is a lifelong scar in her heart. Just don't tell her for now."

"...Agreed. The letter will be kept with me, and make sure you check out your security in the compound...apparently his son is just as cunning and slick." sasuke glared at the floor, memories of his long dead brother appearing in his mind.

"Of course, the hyuga compound is high in safety, but it's apparent we need to check on how we set up things." the hyuga head rubs his head again, trying to prevent a headache from starting.

"Tou-san, tou-san!" both men turn in the direction of matoko's voice as she runs towards them, baby bag in hand. "Gomen, I didn't mean to take so long." matoko smiled as she handed the bag to her father.

"It's all right, are you ready to go?" the uchiha smiled as his daughter nodded and grabbed his hand. "We'll be going then hyuga, thanks for taking care of my two youngest brats. Hope they weren't any trouble." he smirked as neji stepped away from the wall and stood in front of them.

"No, just like her mother matoko is very well behaved. But your son seems to have a bad habit of chewing on people's hair, preferably my hair." the man's mouth twitched as matoko giggled and sasuke shrugged.

"Sorry hyuga, does the same thing to me, I suppose it's a bad habit we're both going to have to accept." the uchiha looked down at his still sleeping son and pushed away some of the boy's hair.

"Bye-bye neji-jisan! Thank you for letting me stay here!" matoko smiled at her uncle as she went to give him a quick hug.

"No need to thank me matoko, you are always welcomed here. The hyuga compound is also your home..." looking over at sasuke, who seemed preoccupied trying to pry his son's little fingers from his hair, neji whispered into matoko's ears. "And...be careful matoko, don't always trust everyone you meet."

Blinking, matoko simply nodded, but she was worried by her uncle's words. "Hai, neji-jisan I will."

Matoko walked back to her father and held his hand tightly. Sasuke nodded and began to walk towards the front gates of the hyuga compound, neji following behind them. Matoko kept looking between her father and uncle, noticing their intense stares. When they reached the gates sasuke turns to look at neji.

"Be sure to say bye to my father-in-law for me, seems he still hates my guts."

"I will, though he'll most likely ignore it." neji chuckled as sasuke shurgged.

"His loss I suppose, well...I'll be seeing you hyuga." though he didn't want to, he knew matoko would tell hinata he didn't leave a friendly good-bye to neji, so he extended his hand to shake with neji.

"I will too uchiha." neji accepted the gesture and returned the shake.

With their good-byes said, the uchiha's left the hyuga compound. Neji let out a sigh, he had a headache from all this unnecessary events occurring in one day. He began to walk back towards the meeting room, he had to tell hanabi about the letter. As he turned a corner he spotted hiashi sitting down by the steps into the courtyard a stoic expression once again on his face. Neji stopped just behind the man and looked inside the meeting room.

"So...you heard everything hiashi-sama?"

"Hai."

"No need to explain things then?"

"Ie, I understand it all..is he prepared to protect her?"

"Hai, uchiha has been known to be possessive, we've seen first-hand with hinata-sama...he'll be fine."

"I am not so sure...I believe sasuke...will be like his father...and neglect his only daughter...we'll keep watch as always." hiashi stands from the steps and silently walks past the surprised hyuga and heads towards his study.

"Hiashi-sama...I wonder...if what you say...holds some truth...I need some medicine for this headache." deciding to think on the letter later, neji enters the meeting room to find his wife.

"...Tou-san?..." matoko looked up to her father, who had seemed distant since leaving her uncle's house. 'Maybe he's mad at me...'. Deciding it was best to not push her father, matoko continues to walk beside her father, hand in hand.

"...Just don't let go of my hand matoko...so I know you're here with me." matoko's pearlescent eyes looked up in surprise at her father, who still remained expressionless, but his eyes looked fearful.

Tightening her grip on her father's hand, matoko nodded. "Hai tou-san, I'll be right here."

'I'll make sure you'll still remain here, no one will separate you from our family matoko.' sasuke's thoughts remain on his daughter as they make their way home.

In the distance, near the forest, a pair of sharingan eyes follow the uchiha family. An echo is heard through the area as the eyes disappear from sight. "...matoko..."

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**And that's how the cookie crumbles ladies and gentlemen! it appears someone wants matoko as a wife ...who could it be? lol ya'll should know I pretty much ruined it for you, but in case you wish to know more about him, I have a one shot of him and matoko when they met four years ago from the TAT setting. I might put it up...but that up to you! -points- **

**but please don't forget to review! thank you!**


	11. Extra chapter: A destined meeting?

**Remember when I said I'd give you all a one-shot of my OC character Ichimaru Uchiha, meeting matoko when she and him are a lot younger? Well here you go another 'Extra chapter of TAT' this one is pre-TAT and matoko is four years old, ichimaru is seven. Itachi is also in this chapter...as much as I dislike the guy, I also hope I got him into his character from the manga. Then again, the guy's going psycho on us in the current chapters bleh! Moving on, I hope this gives you all a better idea of who ichi-san is and his role in the future chapters of my story. Ch. 10 will be out next weekend I think...yea...lol. I'm also planning on doing something to fill in the gaps from the time-skips that are coming up soon, so keep a lookout for those too. For now please enjoy this extra one-shot, and please give me your opinion on itachi's son ichimaru! **

**Thank you:HiN4-cH4n, CobaltHeart, hmfan24, winterkaguya, kenshinlover2002, then nika said, xxLadyMikotoxx, sphekie, TaichiSpirit, KibaIsHOTT, and mac2, show.me.the.stars, tehcrazykatlady, xX Alpha Clique Xx, & Tw33ty JR, puertorrican-babe, and Moto Moon. My muses, there's never enough words to tell ya'll how much I appreciate your reviews, it's thanks to you and your positive words that my fanfic got this far. Thank you, really, thank you so much for using your valuable time to read my story, it means a lot:)**

**Disclaimer:I don't own naruto, but the real owner (kishimoto-sama) is torturing me with his chapters! **

**Another disclaimer: the uchiha children are mine so please no stealy!

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"Tou-sama, please tell me, why are we here?" a seven year old boy asked his father as they stood on a small hill, over-looking the village of konoha.

"Do not worry ichimaru, our reasons for being here, is for my own personal knowledge. You are just to follow whatever it is that I'll ask of you." a man wearing a black cloak looked down at his son, his dull red sharingan slowly rotating.

Looking down, the boy, ichimaru, nodded. "Hai, tou-sama, I'll do as you say and nothing more. But...your sharingan tou-sama...your sight is already very bad, don't you think it's be..."

"No. I'll be fine, what I have to do won't require much use of my sharingan." the man's serious, but cold tone reached his son as he again nodded.

"Gomen ne tou-sama, I should have known that you had this planned out."

"Ichimaru, I'm going to this village for about an hour...will you be fine on your own?" the man bend down to be at the boy's eye level.

Nodding the boy's black eye shined with determination. "Hai, tou-sama, I can take care of myself. So please, go and do what you must do and I promise to stay out of trouble."

The man, though cold and rather inattentive with his own son, smiled as he patted his head once. "As expected ichimaru, let's go then, we must make our visit short and discreet."

With that, both uchihas leave the hill and make their way to the village of konoha. As they entered, ichimaru notices three guards standing by the back entrance, fall to the ground in a loud thud. His father had always used his sharingan to either kill or render his enemies unconscious. The boy, even though only seven, found it normal and rather boring in the method his father used, and hoped to use his sharingan in a more creative way. Once his father began to train him with his sharingan of course. Ichimaru had gained the sharingan on his sixth birthday, but only knew so much, since his father hadn't been around after his fourth birthday, when he was taken from his mother. The small boy didn't know much about his father. Though they both looked very similar. Same hair color, the same strange shape of their eyes, the same tall and silent walk, and the same bored expression. Yes he and his father had many things that were similar, yet ichimaru didn't know the man's name. All he knew and as his father had told him 'had to know about me' was they both were uchihas, carrying the bloodline of the sharingan, and that he would be taking care of ichimaru's training from now on.

The boy smiled as he passed the guards on the ground, and quickly ran to catch up to his father. As they continued walking. Ichimaru looked at the surrounding area, it appeared to be a bunch of training areas. Tugging slightly on his father's black cloak, ichimaru asked.

"Ne...forgive my interruption tou-sama...but...you seem to know where you're going, did you used to live here?"

The black eyed boy stared nervously at his father's back, as it froze mid step and stayed in that position. Ichimaru's eyes darted from one place to another, getting more nerved by the silent response of his father. Soon though, the man continued his walk as if the small boy hadn't asked his question in the first place. Sighing ichimaru quickly caught up to his father and remained silent. The two soon found themselves on the outskirts of the peaceful village. His father continued walking, looking straight ahead, ichimaru looked at every building they passed, it seemed rather empty. The uchiha boy was so into his own thoughts of the empty buildings, he didn't notice his father stop, and ended up running into him.

"G-Gomen ne, tou-sama...I wasn't looking."

"To answer your question ichimaru...yes this used to be my home a long time ago. Back when I was foolish and naïve. This is the uchiha compound...now though, you and I are the only survivors." the man ran his fingers through the brick wall of a building. The uchiha emblem painted fresh on it.

"The only..s-survivors? What..h-happened to the others tou-sama?" ichimaru shrunk back as he watched his father's gaze turn to him, anger and bitterness clearly visible in his dull black eyes.

"THAT...is none of your business boy, I suggest we keep going...someone might not like the fact that we are in this area." the man turned back around and continued to walk, his trembling son behind him.

After a couple of minutes of traveling, both of them reach a small plaza where stands of foods and other articles were being sold. 'a market? Why is tou-sama going here?'

ichimaru looked up to see his father remove the hat he had on and bend down to look at him. "Ichimaru, this is where we separate, I'm not in the mood to deal with anymore of your stupidities, I expect you to return without having fought unnecessary fights."

"Hai...tou-sama." the boy looked down ashamed his father thought so lowly of him.

"Good, we will meet in the middle of this market in an hour...farewell." with that his father bend back up and turned to walk away, before completely disappearing.

Sighing ichimaru kicked around a rock as he walked towards the concession stands in the market. Since he had some money with him, and hungry, he might as well buy some ramen, or some of those little balls he always sees his father eating. Peeking over at one of the stands he hears a giggle from his far left side. Turning he sees a small girl with the prettiest indigo hair he's ever seen, well actually the only he's ever seen. Her eyes were almost silver in appearance and she wore a small blue bow to hold back some of her hair. He turned completely around to see the girl walking with her mother, or he assumed it was her mother, since they both looked almost exactly alike. The uchiha boy gulped as the girl continued to giggle with her mother, who simply smiled and continued to pick out some vegetables from a stand. Ichimaru would have continued to stare at them if it weren't for the gruff voice of the shopkeeper where he was standing by, shouting at him.

"Hey boy! You gotta want anything or not? I got otha customers." ichimaru scoffed at the poor look of the vender. And took out some change from his pocket. He placed it on the counter and walked away, but not before saying.

"Take that money and retire old man, your face isn't going to get you any sales." ichimaru smirked as he heard the indignant yells of the old man.

He had gotten so caught up in getting back at that old man, he had forgotten about the pretty girl he had seen, and kept walking to find somewhere else to eat. He turned a corner and found a stand selling some ramen...'icharuka' 'ichuruka' ? It was one of those pronunciations, but a seven year old hungry boy doesn't really care for the title as long as he gets food. Entering the small restaurant he spots a woman working on the counter. Smiling she nods for the small boy to sit. He takes the offer and hops into the last seat.

"How can I help you today young man?" the woman smiled again as she waited for ichimaru to reply.

Though he felt 'normal' people were dull and boring he couldn't help but smile. After all, this woman called him a 'young man' it doesn't get better than this for your ego does it? "Um..I'm not sure I've never eaten ramen before...what do you recommend?" the boy blinked as he watched the some what astonished look of the woman.

"W-W-Well for first t-timers such as yourself...hmm. I'd recommend the miso ramen." her surprised face was quickly replaced with her happy smile.

"Ano...then I guess I'll get one of those." the boy nodded his agreement as the woman quickly went to make the boy his ramen.

Ichimaru, was easily drawn to boredom, as he was now. This ramen was taking too long, and he was hungry. There was nothing to do until the food got here, so he decided to look at one of the walls, where a collection of photos were hanging. Let's see, an older man with the woman at the counter, a bunch of kids wearing ninja headbands, so konoha was a ninja village. There's a lot of pictures of a blond boy...and then when he gets older...weird, there's a guy there wearing the uchiha emblem on his shirt. Ichimaru's attention was fully drawn to the photos, he didn't notice the bell of the restaurant ring or the footsteps of someone much smaller than him walk up to the counter. He didn't turn to look at the person until he heard the cutest voice he's ever heard in his seven years of life.

"nii-shan?"

Ichimaru rolled his seat around to look at the small girl who'd called him 'nii-san'. The air almost left the boy's lungs. It was that same pretty girl he saw walking with her mother. Up close her eyes were even more beautiful. Gulping the uchiha boy shook his head back and forth in a slow pace.

"Umm...Ano..I'm not your nii-san..gomen" ichimaru had to resist hugging the girl as she tilted her head to side unable to understand completely what he had said.

"you not nii-san? Oh, gomen ne...you looked a lot like my nii-san..and umm gomen..I'll leave." the girl bowed to the boy and was turning to leave when he heard his voice calling her out again.

"Umm..ano..please wait...w-would y-you like to e-eat some ramen w-with me?" the boy wanted to slap himself for stuttering like some idiot in front of the pretty girl.

The girl with pearlescent eyes blinked and looked back and forth...a small blush formed on her cheeks as she pointed her two index fingers together. "Ano..momma said..that I-I shouldn't e-eat with stwengers."

ichimaru looked down in defeat, but then he got an idea. Hopping off the chair he walked up to the small girl and stretched out his hand. "Here, shake it...so we can introduce ourselves." at first the girl was going to say no, but the boy's smile seemed truthful, and he seemed to be fun. She hesitantly grabbed his hand. "There see? Not that hard was it?" ichimaru laughed as the girl blushed more and nodded. "Well, my name's ichimaru...what's yours?" ichimaru was really starting to like this girl, she was really shy and her blushes were so adorable.

"Umm...ano..m-my name is...m-matoko." her blushed dimmed but she was still nervous around this ichimaru boy, he looked so much like her nii-san. "Umm..do..do you...ano..can you let go of my hand now?" both children blushed as they released each others hands and looked away.

"Umm gomen ne...matoko-san..but..hey now we're not strangers anymore, ne?" the boy smiled at matoko who looked down and nodded.

"well mato-chan why don't you join your new friend for some ramen? I made your favorite, shrimp ramen." the woman from before smiled at them both as she placed two bowls of steaming ramen on the table.

"Oh...ok aya-chan...arigato!" the girl hopped as best as she could onto the seat as she readied herself to eat the ramen given to her. "Come on ichimaru-niichan or your rawmen will get cold." still blushing matoko patted the seat next to her.

Ichimaru definitely liked this girl, he was never called nii-chan before, and she seemed to have lost her discomfort around him. Hopping onto his own seat, the uchiha boy began to break his chopsticks to eat. "Hey matoko-chan, where's that lady you were with earlier?" he raised an eyebrow as matoko giggled at him.

"You look really funny when you talk with noodles in your mouth. Oh, and that was my momma she's shopping at the fishy market across the street." her face was still tinted in red as she giggled and continued eating her noodles.

So he was right that lady that was with matoko was her mother. Smiling the boy slurped up more noodles before asking her. "so you go shopping with your mother matoko-chan?"

Matoko eagerly nodded her head before replying, "Yep, cause papa is always at meetings with hokage-jiisan and he takes nii-san with him, so I gotta go with my momma."

ichimaru blinked in confusion, "hokage? As in the person who rules this village?"

"yea, our hokage is naruto, but I call him naruto-jiisan cause he's like a bwother to my papa...or something like that." matoko said before eating more noodles.

Nodding ichimaru continued eating. As he finished the last of his noodles he heard matoko asking him a question.

"Ne, ichi-niichan ...umm...are you..here awone?" matoko looked a bit worried as she put down her chopsticks.

"Uhh...Ano...no..I'm here with tou-sama...but he had to go somewhere so I have to stay here and wait for him." ichimaru put down his own chopsticks and began to dig in his pockets to get the money to pay.

"Oh...well you can go with me and momma shopping..I'm sure she won't mind." matoko smiled as ichimaru took out his money and placed it on the counter.

"Umm...well..I..." ichimaru's eyes widened as he hears the ringing of bells. 'tou-sama is calling me.'

"Gomen ne...matoko-chan but I promised tou-sama I'd be back in our meeting spot in an hour...umm bye..." the boy jumps down from his seat and runs out of the shop waving bye to matoko and aya.

"Such a nice boy...he even paid for your ramen mato-chan." the woman said as she picked up the two empty bowls and placed them into the sink to be cleaned later.

"Hai...he is...I should go thank him ...yes I'm going to go to that...tell momma I'll be wight back!" the small four year old girl jumped off the chair and ran to follow after her new friend.

"uh.. wait mato-chan!! oh, dear...I hope this doesn't come back to bite me." the woman let out a sigh as she turned to clean up, hoping hinata would arrive soon so she can explain things.

Ichimaru didn't really want to leave matoko, actually he was getting really attached to her, not just pretty but super nice, and her smile was contagious. 'Maybe I'll see her again if tou-sama decides to make another visit to konoha.' the boy's smile widens at his own thoughts as he runs around a corner and sees his father calmly drinking tea on a bench in the plaza. His black hair slightly tangled from all the running, ichimaru stops and bows to his father before catching his breath. His father's black eyes turn to him before looking behind him. The man's stoic face changes from confusion to a scowl. Ichimaru looks up to ask his father something, but notices the intense gaze he was giving behind him. Turning around the boy lets out a inaudible gasp, as matoko turns a corner seeming to be looking for him. The girl spots him and smiles as she runs up to him.

"Ne, ichi-niichan you left before I could thank you!" she smiled at ichimaru, who seemed to be extremely nervous about something. She turned to look up and her smile quickly vanishes. A much older man than ichimaru looks down at her with what she assumes is disgust...or hate? A four year old girl shouldn't have to worry about such things, but matoko seemed so confused. His black eyes looked a lot like her papa's and his hair, though slightly darker, also seemed like her father's. Backing away a bit she looked down and wrung her hands together.

Noticing matoko's discomfort, ichimaru grabbed her hand gently. When she looked up he smiled and said. "Gomen ne matoko, but you don't have to be afraid...umm this is my tou-sama. Tou-sama this is a new friend of mine...her name is matoko." he carefully guided the nervous girl over to his father, who had put down his tea to stare at them both.

Her eyes darted from one place to another, as matoko extended her shaky hand out to the man that looked a lot like her papa. "Ano...n-n-nice to m-meet you sir...I m-mean..."

the little girl's eyes widened as the man takes her hand and places a kiss on it. "It's a pleasure child, I'm glad such an adorable girl could keep my son company while I was gone." his smile seemed to calm the girl down as she blushes and nods her head.

"Tell me something...if I may?" the man waits for the girl to nod shyly again before asking, "Your mother...what is her name...matoko-chan?"

matoko looks up and blinks with curiosity as to why the man would ask her that. Looking at ichimaru, who smiled at her, matoko looks at the man again. "Umm...her..h-her name's h-hinata...sir.." the girl fails to notice the slight widening of the man's eyes. His son though, does.

"I see...what a beautiful name...and your father's?" matoko once again looks up to see his black eyes look at her with a strange intensity.

"...H-His name is..umm..exguse me...I'm not trying to be wude but...ano...why do you want to know?" concerned pearlescent eyes stare at the man as he contemplates on what to say.

"I'm simply curious...I might consider bringing ichimaru to visit you again...and it would be easier to find your home if I knew your parents names don't you agree my dear girl?" the man bend his head down a bit to look at the girl better, who blushed at his closeness.

She would get to see her new friend again, and her nii-san and renji-kun can meet him too. Looking over at ichimaru she smiled, he was very nice and she would love to play with him. Nodding her head matoko said, "...uhh right...m-my papa's name is...sasuke." this time both children notice the sudden stiffness of the man's body. His calm look turned into another scowl and his frown went even deeper than last time.

"I-Is everything ok sir?" matoko asked the man who remained still on the bench. Ichimaru walked up next to matoko and looked at his father in worry.

"T-Tou-sama?"

The man looks up with his usual stoic stare and nods at the two worried children. "I'm just fine, I was just remembering something...from..a long time ago. Now tell me matoko-chan...you wouldn't happen to be an uchiha..would you?" he smirked when he saw recognition in the girl's eyes.

"H-Hai!! I am an uchiha! M-My papa is the last uchiha in our village with the..umm..sha..shari.."

"sharingan?" the girl smiled wide as the man finished her sentence.

"Uh-huh...that...d-do you know my p-papa sir?" the girl giggled as the man nodded.

"Hai, he and I go very very far back actually...and I see he's even started a family since our last meet." the man patted the girls soft indigo hair as she giggled again. He then looked at his son, who seemed to be genuinely happy being around the girl.

"Ichimaru...would you like to come back here again?" his voice though gentle to the girl, gave a warning to his son. 'don't get too attached to her.'

"...Yea...that would be nice tou-sama." he gave a smile to matoko as she smiled to him in excitement, but it quickly vanished. 'I'm not ever going to see her again...am I tou-sama?'

"then we should make sure to come here again...now..matoko-chan you should get going...your mother is starting to get worried." as the man finished his sentence matoko heard her mother calling her name. The small girl blinked in astonishment on how this man knew her mother would be looking for her.

"Umm...right...arigato for letting ichi-niichan visit again...I...ano..look f-fowad to seeing you b-bot again." she bowed to the man and went to shake hands with ichimaru again. "Goodbye ichi-niichan...please..don't foget me...ok?" matoko giggled when ichimaru nodded his head slowly.

"I won't matoko...I..promise..." his smile was strained, for he knew that he was lying to the only friend he'd ever had. The boy was shocked though when two arms encircled him in a hug.

"Ok ichi-niichan...until next time!" she let go of him and ran off towards the appearing figure of her mother, waving at the two uchihas as she left.

A blush on his face ichimaru waved back slowly, "Yea...until next time..." he put his hand down slowly, a frown appearing on his face.

"She's an uchiha...she will be strong when she gets older..." he heard his father's voice as the man stood from the bench.

"...Hai..." was all the saddened boy said.

The man's eyes narrowed at his son's behavior and looked in the direction where the girl once was. "Tell me..son...do you like her?"

Slightly surprised, ichimaru looked at his father and then back down before nodding. "Hai...tou-sama..I do.

"Are you...in love with her?" the man's eyes stayed on the top of the boy's black hair.

A blush forming on his cheeks, ichimaru remembered the hug she gave him moments ago. "I-I'm not sure..tou-sama...but...I want to see her again...and be able to see her smile at me..again...to be with her again...is..that love tou-sama?"

"...If that is what you think love is ichimaru then that's what it is." was the man's reply as he began to walk towards the back exit of the village.

Looking one last time towards the road matoko took, ichimaru quickly ran up to follow his father. They both took fast steps to reach the exit of the village, passing through the empty uchiha compound again. As they passed by one of the walls with the uchiha emblem pained on, the man stopped and stared at the freshly painted symbol. Ichimaru also looked at it, wondering why his father stopped to look at the uchiha fan again.

"Ichimaru...our clan is barely existent...and soon..I will leave you as well...you..and you alone must continue our strong line ichimaru...matoko's father is an incompetent fool, a strong ninja but a fool nonetheless. He will make his children weak..." ichimaru gave his father a sympathetic look as the man traced his fingers over the symbol, his intense eyes dulling over with a sudden sign of tiredness.

"..T-Tou-sama? What are you trying to say?"

"Would you like to marry her ichimaru?" the man turned his tired gaze at his son who looked at him shocked and confused.

"M-Marry? M-marry m-matoko...tou-sama?" the boy's eyes shined with a happiness the man has not seen in his son since he first took him.

"Hai...matoko...she will bear strong children when she comes of age...and the hyuga blood runs deep in her...well ichimaru?" the man's eyes drifted back to the uchiha symbol as he waited for his son to reply.

"...Hai...tou-sama...I'd marry her...I will.." ichimaru smile widened when he felt his father's hand land on his head.

"Good...then I suppose I will have to return and make 'arrangements' for marriage with her father sasuke. And it would be nice to see him again." the man smirked as they exited the village and continued into the forest.

"Is he related it to you tou-sama?" the boy asked as he clung to his father's cloak excited that his father would make sure he got to see matoko again.

"...you could say that...he's like a brother to me.." the man's smirk widened as they reached the main road that cuts through the forest.

"..So..if he's like a brother to you...matoko's like a cousin to me?" the boy raised in eyebrow trying to think if his logic made sense.

"Hai...exactly ichimaru...now..let's continue I have some more stops to make before I go back to konoha for a visit to my dear little brother's house." the man let out a chuckle as he and his son continued into the forest.

'I'll get to marry matoko...that'd be nice...yea..' the boy smiled as his seven year old mind wandered to his life as a husband to his 'cousin' matoko.

Three weeks later, the boy's thoughts would be on making sure matoko would be his wife. He would do it to full fill his father's last wish, and to get revenge on the man that took away his father's life and left him an orphan. His uncle sasuke, would suffer the loss of his daughter, like he had suffered the loss of his father itachi. That's a promise the boy made to himself, that he continues to hold today.

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**-Insert evil menacing music- Hope you enjoyed it! oh, and in case your wondering (since my friends asked this question when they read it.) itachi isn't technically blind here, more like his eye sight is near the point of complete blindness, but he can still see. Once again, I hope you enjoyed and please review if you did! **


	12. Ch 10: We walk together, to our new path

**I'm back with chapter...umm 10? yea, chapter 10! I hope all of you enjoyed another look into the strings that make TAT with that extra chapter of matoko and ichimaru. As you all know, I told you this chapter would be sasuke and hinata remembering special moments from their past. In other words, special memories of their twins! Also this is a prologue of sorts, before we go into the story plot that I mysteriously gained for this story. o.o Yea I know. Anyways. This chapter is also a time-skip! That's right, the time-skips are here lol. So in this chapter, four years have passed since the original TAT one-shot plotline. I'm still thinking on whether or not to end TAT and continue it in another story. -is extremely confused- Also, the italics in this chapter are for flashbacks, just for any that might get confused. For now though, enjoy and please review if you do, I'd appreciate it! Have a nice day everyone!**

**Thank you muses for your wonderful reviews, I would add some wonderful and witty comment, but the authoress has been in a bummed out mood with the confusing current manga chapters of naruto. But I haven't forgotten any of you, and I love you all!!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, but to kishimoto-sama, the man who will cause the mass protest of all itachi and sasuke fans in the world. That's right...I went there :P**

**Another disclaimer: All children created from the original characters of 'Naruto' are mine please no stealy!

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"Is it physically possible to be this damn tired from just being at the academy for three hours?" the agitated uchiha man mumbled to no one in particular as he laid on his bed a pillow covering his face.

He felt a smaller weight lay down on the opposite side as the giggle of his wife echoed through the room. "Now sasuke, you can't possibly be this tired could you? Then again, being the head of the renewed uchiha clan must be tough, every single clan leader spoke to you at some point during the genin graduation didn't they?"

"Damn right they did, and all their questions we're either completely rhetorical or too personal for me to answer completely. It's like they've never asked another leader questions before!" hinata smiled sympathetically at her brooding husband who's mumbled words held a lot of anger.

"Gomen sasuke, but at least it's over and you can relax." hinata smiled and scooted over to her husband, and began to comb through his hair.

Peeking over at his wife the uchiha man asked, "What about you hinata? You've walked as much as I have and you don't seem to have broken a sweat."

"Hmm, I've done more tedious work than simply walking sasuke. After all I had two twins to carry with me when I went shopping." hinata giggled at her own words, but sasuke couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. He had been so consumed in gaining a high jounin status back then, he never paid mind to help hinata with their twins when they were still infants.

"Gomen...hinata.." onyx eyes drifted up to stare at the clear eyes of his wife.

"It's all right...there's not much you could do now...after all." hinata stopped her fingers in sasuke's hair and listened outside where the laughter of children could be heard. "Our twins...are genin now...true shinobi of our village."

The uchiha lets a small smile appear on his face as he closes his eyes again. "Hai, they are...aren't they?"

Both parents smile at each other as they hear the agitated shout of their son hikaru as he tells his 'best friend' renji to leave matoko alone. Renji's shouts are also equally loud, proclaiming he can do what he wants now that he's a full-fledged genin. The softer voice of matoko is barely heard over the two boys, she desperately and vainly trying to end their petty squabble. The voices of Rei Lee and Yutsuko Inuzuka could also be heard, trying to help the young uchiha girl separate the boys, and arguing about which one of those said boys had the right reasoning.

"Look dobe, I don't really give a crap if you're a genin or not! But flirting with my sister isn't in the criteria of a ninja you dimwit so stop it!"

"Pfft, you're just being an overprotective pansy again you teme! And I wasn't flirting! I just wanted her to show me her new hitai-ate that's all and I was gonna show her mine."

"What's the freakin difference dobe! They're both blue and have the leaf emblem on the front...we all have that. That was the most sorry excuse I've heard from your mouth renji.

"Ne... renji-kun, nii-san, please stop fighting! Kaa-san and tou-san are really tired and we'll bother them with our shouting."

"gomen matoko-chan, but your brother's being a super extra pain in the ass today!"

"Feh, I'd say the same thing about you dobe, but that be giving you too high of a compliment."

"What was that teme?! Why don't you say that a bit closer to my face!"

"...A-Ano...nii-san stop it! Tou-san will get mad and make you clean the dojo again."

"Just give up mato-chan you know how hikaru-kun and renji-kun are when they fight over you...though I wish hikaru-kun would at least fight over me for once." the inuzuka girl mumbled as she gave a weary look to nothing in particular

"Keep your distance inuzuka..." Yutsuko shuddered as she heard the threat given to her by hikaru.

"Ehh...gomen ne hikaru-kun I was just joking." hikaru turns back to renji as yutsuko laughs nervously.

"As much as I think this is hilarious and entertaining, we should let mato-chan handle renji-san and hikaru-san, our youthful energy won't be enough this time yu-chan!" Rei, smiles wide as her green shirt blows with the sudden appearance of wind.

"...I guess you're right rei-chan...gomen mato-chan!! we tried but it looks like you're the only one that's gonna be able to separate hikaru-kun and renji-kun!" The brown haired girl smiles sympathetically.

"Good luck mato-chan! And don't forget all of our graduating class has to go back to the academy to get our new squads and sensei's tomorrow!" rei yells to matoko as she waves to her.

"good-bye hinata-sama, sasuke-sama!"both girls yell to the uchiha couple as they begin to walk home.

"Bye rei-chan, bye yu-chan see ya tomorrow!"matoko yells back before returning to her referee job.

Sasuke continued to watch long after the two girls left, as his son and the uzumaki boy dueled it out over any little thing, now far passing the whole 'you touched my sister you moron' fight. His lips quirked up into an amused smile as he watched his bewildered daughter still trying to separate her brother and best friend from each other. The smirking man moved closer to the window, to get a better look of his 'grown' children. His wife followed and let out a small giggle as her son bonked renji on the head.

"I think I'll take back the whole they've 'grown up' I've been having in my head." sasuke's amused onyx eyes looked down at his wife who nodded gently and stared at the bickering boys.

"Hai, they may act this way...but I do remember a certain uchiha boy who acted the same way around his best friend too." It was hinata's turn to look with amusement in her eyes, at her scowling husband who pouted and turned to look at his daughter.

"Yea, but looks like genetics goes both ways hinata, our daughter is biting her lip, poking her fingers together and still not being able to talk loud enough for the boys to hear. Just like her mother." the man chuckled as he felt the small punch his upset wife gave him, as she blushed deep red and turned to look away from him. "I was joking hinata, now come back over here woman, I need company." though still pouting, hinata reluctantly returned to look out the window with her husband.

Minutes pass as the uchiha couple watch the fights between hikaru and renji dwindle down back to matoko. The poor girl long since giving up, and instead choosing to help her little four year old brother yuki tie her hitai-ate properly around his neck. Sasuke is about to suggest to his wife that they go down and end the boys fight before he himself will have to fight the dobe of a hokage for letting his son go that far with hikaru, but notices the spaced out look hinata has as she absentmindedly rubs her flat stomach.

"Something wrong hinata?" her husband's deep and worried voice breaks hinata from her deep thinking as she turns and shakes her head, smiling.

"Ie, it's just...seeing hikaru...matoko...they're twelve now...and genin. It just brought back some memories is all." her eyes show the true motherly love she has for her children as she turns to look back down at hikaru and renji, who now seem to be talking about their upcoming days as new genin.

"Memories huh? What sort of memories hinata?" sasuke asks, curious to know why hinata seemed so nostalgic all of a sudden.

"mmm...d-do you remember the day you found out I was pregnant with our twins..." hinata giggled before continuing, "Even though at the time we thought they were only one baby." the light skinned woman turned and smiled wide as her husband groaned and went to lay back down at their bed.

Plopping down the uchiha man sighed and said, "Sadly I do, god the was the most embarrassing day of my life. You realize that hinata right?"

Looking down one last time at the now calm boys, who were playing with matoko and yuki, hinata walked back over to the bed and laid down next to her husband and cuddled next to him, holding tightly to his arm. "Sasuke, it couldn't have been that embarrassing for you, after all that was the day you found out that you would finally be restoring your clan." the man smirked at the sarcastic and teasing tone of his wife and kissed her forehead gently.

"Hai, the day I found out that my family...would grow."

_'No...maybe...m-maybe if I-I take another test...it'll...I-I don't want to get my hopes up too soon...or sasuke's.' The petite eighteen year old woman breathed in and out in heavy gasps as she wiped away some sweat from her face. She was kneeled over her bathroom sink, a small pregnancy test held tightly in her hand. The plus sign on the once blank space of the test, echoing inside the woman's mind. 'I-If it's true...t-then I'm...p-p-pregnant...one-one more test, just to be...a-absolutely sure.' with her mind set on making sure it was true, the young wife activated her blood-limit, the byakugan. Urging her heart to stop it's increased beat, hinata directed her all-seeing eyes down to her lower stomach. Her mouth opens to release a soundless gasp, and tears begin to roll down her cheeks. The four pregnancy tests proved their accuracy, as the young woman slides down the door of the bathroom, a weak but sad smile on her face. 'S-So I'm p-pregnant...heh...I'd be more happy i-if I k-knew what sasuke thought about this, s-sasuke...' Hinata would stay in the same position for the rest of the afternoon, her colorless eyes in a faraway daze only she knew about._

"_Damn naruto and his stupid raising status ideas. 'Oh, lets help out the old lady teme, It'll give us good points with tsunade-baachan and we'll be in anbu in no time'. Pfft, should have known the dobe was lying through his fuckin teeth. That's the last time I listen to any of his useless words." a very pissed off uchiha talked to himself as he walked through the empty streets of the uchiha compound. His so-called best friend once again ruining his mood, and making think why he ever came back to konoha. _

_A small smile appears on the young jounin's face as he stares at the lit door of his home. "I damn well don't know why I came back...but...I know why I stayed." stretching out his muscles the uchiha continues walking and enters his home._

_As he drops his pack and weapons pouch on the large table near the entrance, sasuke notices something that isn't normal in his house. The warm aroma of a freshly made dinner made by his wife. Hinata usually has dinner ready way more earlier than when he gets home, since his shift ends whenever his daily missions end. The uchiha passes rooms as he walks towards the kitchen, where the lights were the most brightly lit. as he entered his weary onyx eyes catch the slumped form of his wife, sleeping on the kitchen table. A troubled expression on her face. Walking over, sasuke kneels down to hinata's level and shakes her gently. _

"_Hinata, as sexy as you look sleeping...I'm kinda hungry so, wake up woman." hinata's eyelashes flutter before opening revealing dull eyes that quickly widen in alert at seeing the familiar face of her husband._

"_Ah, a-ano sasuke! W-When d-did you get here? What time is it? Are you o-ok?" the young woman's frantic questioning was stopped as a pair of lips met hers in a gentle but deep kiss._

"_It's nice to see you too hinata, now about that dinner, looks like you just finished making it huh?" the uchiha loved making his wife blush unnecessarily especially when she began to talk incoherently like that. His triumphant smirk continued on his face as he made his way over to check the meal his wife had prepared._

_Shaking herself from the wonderful feeling of her husband's seductive kiss as she called them, hinata once again returned to her anxious and worried self. 'H-H-He's here, now I-I just h-have to tell him, t-that's all. J-Just tell him y-you're pregnant hinata! I-It's not that d-difficult.' hinata's eyes widened as she looked over at her husband, who had a suspicious look on his face as he held a spoon full of her miso soup over his mouth. _

"_D-Did you say something s-sasuke?"_

"_Yea, I asked you if anything special happened while I was gone? Weren't you paying attention?" an eyebrow rose as hinata tensed and walked rigidly over to him and grabbed the spoon from his hand._

"_I-I'll serve you your dinner sasuke, please go and sit down you must have had a hard day at work." hinata smiled at sasuke but quickly averted her eyes, she couldn't look at him right now._

"_Hinata? What's wrong, you're acting pretty strange..." Sasuke was more convinced something was wrong as his wife simply shrugged off the question and passed him to put the plates full of food to the table for dinner. _

_The young man decided it was best to let his wife think over what it was that was bothering her, and let her come to him. So sitting down he broke open his chopsticks and began to eat. Not five minuted into the meal, sasuke noticed his wife's plates were completely untouched. Looking over at her, sasuke stuffed a potato into his mouth and asked. "Ne, hinata why aren't you eating..." _

"_I'm pregnant sasuke!!" the loud rush of words from hinata reached the man's ears as sasuke began to choke on his half-chewed potato._

_The young woman opened her tightly shut eyes, expecting a shocked looking sasuke, instead receiving the image of her husband chocking on his food. Eyes growing wide, hinata quickly rose from her chair and ran over to her husband positioning herself in the Heimlich maneuver. Her small arms around her husband's waist, hinata began to push in and up against sasuke's diaphragm. After a minute of this, the guilty potato escapes sasuke's mouth, and the uchiha collapses against his shaking wife, who puts him gently on the floor. Hinata's worried eyes trail over the pained looks her husband's face had, and began to wipe away the sweat that had formed on his face. Sasuke groans as he feels his wife's cool hands on his face. He opens his tired onyx eyes and smiles weakly at hinata._

"_gomen.." he coughs. "I just didn't think you'd be so forward about it. I thought you'd wait until..after dinner." the young man gets into a sitting position as he smirks at his wife._

"_...S-Sasuke...? H-How did you f-figure it out? I-I was p-planning o-on telling you myself." hinata's eyes widened as sasuke nudged his head towards the far kitchen counter, where four well placed pregnancy tests shined with the glow of the stove light. A bright red covered the woman's face as she stood up and quickly went to grab the tests before running over to the couch covering herself with the pillow nearby. _

_The uchiha sighed and grunted as he stood up from the floor. He took slow steps as he went around the couch to kneel beside his wife, who was trying fruitlessly to suppress her tears and her small squeaks of embarrassment. Sasuke tried to remove the pillow blocking hinata's face, but was met with a small shove of his wife's hand. _

"_Hinata, the pillow isn't going to help you here." _

"_I-I know. I-It's just...I-I d-didn't want y-you to find o-out that way. I wanted t-to t-tell you." clear watery eyes peered at sasuke with embarrassment._

_A blush covered the uchiha's cheeks as he leaned against the sofa's edge and let out a heavy sigh, "Well, I would have liked to have found out through you too, but those tests pretty much gave me the answer." though he intended his tone to be humorous to try and lessen the tense feeling he was getting from hinata, his wife only looked at him and nodded. "Hinata...what.."_

"_You're not mad then?A-About...m-me being pregnant?" the uchiha's eyes widened as he turned to look at his wife, who wiped away some of her falling tears._

_The woman let out a small gasp as she felt two strong arms embrace her. "You're still as stupid as the day I met you hinata. I-I would never be mad at you...even if you made me choke on a potato because of your 'news'." sasuke mentally let out a sigh of relief as he heard hinata giggle slightly against him._

"_Looks like our...family's going to grow, ne hinata?" sasuke tightened his hold on hinata as she nodded._

"_Hai...it i-is isn't it?"_

"I was two months pregnant when I told you that...and we found out about our twins three weeks later, remember sasuke?" hinata looked up at her husband who nodded as he kept his eyes closed.

"Yea, and when tsunade told me during the check up I just had to be eating those stupid bag of chips." sasuke's eyes twitched as hinata laughed at the memory.

"..H-Hai..." she stopped to keep laughing. "You choked on those as well, and tsunade had to perform the Heimlich maneuver on you too."

The man moved around in the bed to get comfortable before coughing and looking at hinata. "Could we change the subject here? I told you those days are by far the most embarrassing of my life."

"Gomen...but I was so happy I was having twins, though...those two did s-scare us w-when they were born ne, sasuke?" the woman's clear eyes shined with worry for a moment as she recalled the memory.

"Hai, I thought we were going to lose one of them..." his eyes darted off towards the far wall of their bedroom where a picture of a small indigo-haired baby girl smiling at the stuffed bunny she held, stood. "...Matoko..."

Hinata nodded and moved her body to lay back down on the bed. "...Hikaru was the first born...and matoko arrived more than two minutes later...b-but...she wasn't breathing..."

Sasuke's eyes darkened for a moment as he went back into his own account of the birth of his twins. "Our kids are very weird...or their bond was forged even before they were born...because hikaru stopped breathing right after matoko came out."

_A frantic Uchiha walked back and forth around the door to the labor and delivery ward. His onyx eyes were drained of emotion as his thoughts drove him mad. An even more anxious hyuga neji and hiashi sat by, their colorless eyes edged in worry. Sasuke was one to always keep a calm aura, but this was hinata and his children and she's about to give birth. Now was not the time to keep up to strong cocky uchiha persona he usually kept. A scream of pain and anguish came from behind the double doors causing the uchiha to try to reach for the handle to go inside._

"_Control yourself uchiha, sakura-san told us that hinata-sama's pregnancy is high-risk because of the twins and her heart condition. She'll let us know when we can enter." the cold tone neji spoke to the uchiha angered the man more as whirled his head to glare at the hyuga head._

"_Shut it hyuga! That's my wife in there and she's in pain right now and I can't do a damn thing about! How the hell do you think I should feel? All clouds and sunshine?!" angry onyx eyes met agitated pale ones as neji and sasuke stared each other down. _

"_And she is my daughter uchiha. I am just as worried for her and her children's lives as you are. But all three of us must remain calm for her. It'll scare her more to see us in such a bewildered state." the calm and stern voice of hiashi hyuga quited down sasuke and neji as they both silently agreed with the man's words._

_Sasuke lets go of the door handle and slides down the cold white wall of the hospital. He covers his face with his arms as his forehead meets his knees. Neji gives the anxious uchiha a sympathetic stare before settling back down on the hospital chair, hoping things will get better soon. Tense minutes pass by as all three men wait for any sign of the pink haired medic. The door of the ward suddenly opens as a frantic sakura enters and looks for her ex-teammate. Her green eyes widened as she spots sasuke standing up quickly from his spot on the wall. Her white coat is covered in splotches of blood as she grabs sasuke's hand and begins to drag him inside. She nudges her head for the two hyugas to follow behind. As they enter deeper into the large delivery room of the ward, sasuke's ears pick up the most wonderful sound he's ever heard in his nineteen years of life. A baby's cry. As sakura opens the door, tsunade is sitting in a chair by the end of the bed, directing hinata to continue her pushing. Two nurses are cleaning up and covering a baby, and from sasuke's view a baby with a patch of black hair on its little head. Sakura points to the baby, silently telling neji and hiashi they can see the little one. Sasuke is about to follow but a pale hand stops him, turning around the uchiha frowns as he notices the tired and worried look on his pink haired friend._

"_Sasuke-kun... hinata's not doing so well with the little girl..." sakura whispers as she turns to look at her panting friend. "...Tsunade-sensei has been checking for five minutes now..and..the baby might be a stillborn sasuke..." sakura looks at sasuke as his eyes widened and he looks between his newborn son and his wife. _

_Tears start to form on the man's eyes as he gently grabs sakura's shoulders. "...Sakura...please...please j-just I don't want to see hinata hurt and hate herself for not being able to save her baby girl...please...s-save my daughter." the pink haired woman's own eye's begin to water as she sees the strong and calm face of her friend sasuke collapse in front of her. _

_Gulping sakura's clasps her hands around sasuke's and smiles at him, "You're my teammate and one of my best friends sasuke-kun...I won't let your daughter die...without fighting it with everything I got."_

_Releasing her, sasuke nods and turns to walk towards his son, he couldn't let hinata see him like this. She needed to remain strong to deliver their second twin, their little girl. Neji and hiashi gives him a small smile as they separate to let him see his first born son. A tear rolls down the uchiha's cheek as his dark eyes meet the equally dark eyes of his baby son. _

"_Well...have you and hinata-sama given him a name uchiha?" neji asked as he looked over sasuke's shoulder at the squirming baby on the table._

"_..Yea...we decided on ..Hikaru." sasuke's empty sullen voice answered as he continued to stare at the baby boy, HIS baby boy._

"_Hmm, a nice name uchiha." sasuke gave a ghost of a smile as he heard the quiet reply of his father-in-law. _

_A large scream from across the next room caught the three men's attention as they quickly dashed into the delivery room again. Tsunade and sakura are slouched over hinata's open legs, sakura apparently holding something in her arms. Hinata breathes in and out deeply trying to regain lost oxygen, at the same time trying to see her baby daughter. Tsunade shakes her head at her pink haired apprentice as she stands to tell hinata the news. Hiashi and neji hang their heads and tighten their fists as sakura makes her way towards the three men. A pink blanket that should be moving is still, holding a lifeless little baby girl. For sasuke, his whole world had frozen, the room seemed to be moving in a slow pace leaving him behind. He can hear his heartbeat as it slows down, sakura getting closer and closer to him, that dreaded pink blanket in her arms. His onyx eyes meet with sakura's green ones. His eyes grow wide as she passes him and places the little girl on the table. She grabs an A.D.D. and places the small patches on the infants chest. The machine shows the 'clear' sign on the screen and sakura pushes a red button. _

"_Clear!" sakura's voice echoes through the room, as the baby's chest rises from the electrical shock her body is receiving. Seconds pass as the six people in the room watch for any reaction from the baby girl. All their heads hanged down as the baby made no response. Hinata began to cry holding the blanket around her body close to her. Hiashi and neji decided to leave the room, thinking it best to leave the parents alone. _

_Sakura's eyes glowed with more determination as she again readied the A.D.D. and pressed the red button to send another wave of shocks through the baby's body. Once again the baby made no response. Hinata had turned away from the scene and covered her face with the pillow. Sasuke looked at his wife, feeling the pain from her hit his own as well. All the adults in the room turned to look at the doors that opened revealing the two nurses holding the blue blanket that held hinata and sasuke's other twin baby. The two nurses placed baby hikaru on the table and gave sakura a forlorn glance. _

"_He stopped breathing just couple of seconds ago sakura-sama, we're sorry. We tried to revive him, but he hasn't responded." the nurses bowed their respects to hinata who had once again covered her face into her pillow and began to cry again. Sasuke looked back and forth between his wife and his little babies. The uchiha felt completely numb, he didn't know whether to go to his babies, or comfort his wife. 'But what comfort could I give her?' _

_Both hinata and sasuke look in the direction where sakura was, watching her place another set of patches on hikaru to prepare him for an electrical shock. "Ready, clear!" the shock brought no response from the infant boy._

"_Sakura enough..." tsunade pleaded as she watched her apprentice fruitlessly try to bring the twins back to life._

"_Ie, I can't...I made a promise to sasuke-kun and hina-chan...that I would do whatever it takes to bring their babies into this world alive, I can't give up now...I can't." tears fell down the medic-nin's face as she kept up the shocks._

_Hinata smiled gratefully at her dedicated friend, while sasuke gave sakura a grateful look of his own. _

_Ten minutes pass. Two more shocks are given to hikaru, and the second one makes him breathe. Sasuke and hinata give each other happy glances from across the room, one of their twins were alive. Tsunade leaves hinata's side and walks over to sakura who has stopped her movements and seems to only be staring at the babies on the table. Sasuke walks over to hinata and gives her a comforting kiss on the forehead, the young woman smiles, and grabs his hand. The uchiha couple wait anxiously to see of their little girl. Both of them look on in shock as tsunade and sakura began to laugh, and roll the table towards them. Sakura smiles at sasuke and hinata and begins to speak._

"_Hina-chan you did a great job, and I'm sorry for making you worry like that. You almost lost your two wonderful twins, but...they must really love you both..and each other." sakura continues to smile as she points at sasuke to come look at his twins._

_The uchiha raises an eyebrow, finding it strange of sakura's behavior after just being through a life-and -death situation. Sasuke stands up from the edge of the bed, not before helping his wife into a sitting position on the bed so she can see her babies as well. Sasuke's eyes grow wide at the sight before him. His baby twins were both awake and breathing, holding each other's hands. Hinata is shocked as well, but smiles as she cries again, this time in joy. _

"_It looks like hikaru, stopped breathing because of his baby sister. The moment the nurses brought him to her, sakura was able to bring him back to life. It appears he grabbed her hand and began to wail. For some odd and miraculous reason, this action helped the little girl to breathe again. Sasuke, hinata...you two have some miracle babies on your hands." tsunade smiled warmly at them both as she explained the situation. _

"_Hai, Matoko...and Hikaru...are our wonderful miracle babies, ne sasuke?" hinata asked her husband as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently._

_Sasuke just nodded, and watched as his two twin babies continued their curious stares of their new world, not once letting go of each other's hands._

"It seemed just yesterday when all of that happened to us sasuke. And now our little twins aren't so little anymore." hinata giggled as she entwined her fingers with her husband's,still enjoying the warmth of his hands after all these years.

"Yea, we never told them this story either did we?" the man asked, still keeping his eyes closed.

"Ie, I think it's not necessary for them to know they're our miracle babies, ne?"

"I suppose not, as long as they're still alive it's all that matters." sasuke let a content look fall on his face as he listened to the yells and voices of his children.

"After that experience it made me glad yuki-chan was just another normal delivery. I don't think I could have handled another scare like that." hinata spoke with a small tome of fear as she clutched her chest, where her heart was beating.

"I'm just glad I didn't lose you either hinata. That, would have killed me." sasuke embraces his wife, as he holds her hand that clutched at her chest.

"Sasuke..." hinata mouthes out as she meets her husband's gaze. A tint of pink covering her cheeks.

"Still as shy as ever I see. We still need to work on that hinata...don't we?" a smirk graces sasuke's face as he entangles his legs with his wife's and gives her a soft kiss on the lips.

"S-Sasuke...stop...the kids m-might see." the blush on the woman's face intensifies as her husband begins to kiss her neck.

"They won't. They're too busy celebrating their success as genin. We can have some fun, while they have their own, ne...hime?" the smirk on the uchiha's face only increases as his wife begins to react to his soft kisses.

"S-S-Sasuke...we're...g-going to get c-caught..."

"Ie, just relax hinata...I won't go that far...until tonight anyways. Now..."

Both sasuke and hinata feel a cold sweat as they hear the door being opened.

"Ne, tou-san, kaa-san. Wha..." Hikaru stares wide eyed at the strange and very wrong position his father and mother are in. "Oh my god!! ewuhh damn, I did not want to see this! Geez tou-san! Couldn't you have picked a more...'better' time to do this??" sasuke's left eye twitches as he removes himself from hinata and sits on the bed. Hikaru makes gagging noises as he tries to rid himself of the awful image.

"Ne, nii-san? Have you told kaa-san and tou-san yet?" matoko pops her head in, her hitai-ate around her neck glowing with the room's light.

"I was gonna, but I caught tou-san trying to do the nasty with kaa-san..." hikaru nods grimly as matoko makes a face as well.

"Ewwww, but kaa-san never lets tou-san do anything nasty till it's night time." the twelve year old girl shudders as she too, tries to get rid of the awful images in her head.

"Yea, well guess they wanted to celebrate our graduation in their 'own' way." hikaru smiles wide as his father throws him an evil glare.

"Gomen, for interrupting you tou-san. We just wanted to check up on you both." matoko smiles as she pushes her brother, so both of them could enter their parent's room.

"It's all right. Not what is it you two, I thought you were playing outside with renji?" sasuke's asks as he rubs his aching head, the stress from not having his time with hinata getting the better of him.

"We were, but renji had to go home cause uncle naruto planned some celebration thing at ichiraku's for the dobe's graduation into genin status." hikaru walked over and jumped on the bed to sit next to his father.

"Yep, and all our other friends left too, cause their parents are making them a celebration dinner for graduating too." matoko looked on innocently at her parents, hoping one of them would catch what she was trying to say.  
"We showed up didn't we? What more could you two possibly want?" sasuke winked at his wife, as she giggled at the joke he was making with their twins.

"Tou-san!!!!" both twins whine as they give their mother puppy dog-eyes.

Still giggling, hinata shook her head and stood up from the bed. "How could I possibly deny them their special dinner after those adorable looks they gave me sasuke."

"Yes, how can you deny them..." Sasuke began to laugh as he watched hikaru blush the implications of cute being compared to him.

"Nee-nee!! where are you?" the twins turn to see their baby brother enter the room. Yuki opens the door and smiles as he sees his whole family smiling at him. "There you are nee-nee! And you too aniki!" the little boy runs to his twin siblings and hugs his sister first and then his brother.

"You found us yuki-kun! Good job!" matoko giggles as yuki lifts his chin up in pride.

"Yea, way to go squirt! Now go tell tou-san what you, matoko, and I want." hikaru ruffles his baby brother's hair as the small boy nods.

"Hai, aniki!" yuki grins at his father and runs as fast as he could and attaches himself to his father's stomach. "Hi tou-zan!"

Sasuke tries to keep a blank look of indifference on his face as he stares at his youngest son, but soon loses and smiles as his son looks up at him with dark grayish eyes. "Hello yuki...what is it?"

"Nee-nee, and aniki made it into umm..umm geninini and they should get a really big dinner to celebrate, ne tou-zan?" Yuki had managed to climb onto sasuke's back and placed his head on top of his father's smiling down at him as he spoke.

Hinata tried to hold in her giggles as she watched the extremely cute scene between her yuki and sasuke unfold.

"Hmm, I suppose they do deserve it...these two are the top of their graduating class...and they've got a pretty good hand on their eye jutsus...but it'll really come down to the wonderful woman who makes our dinners." sasuke's eyes rolled over to face his wife who was trying to hide her laugher as three sets of onyx eyes stared at her in curiosity.

Yuki muffles his giggles in his father's hair as he continues to hug his father's neck. "Go aniki, tell momma why you should get a specialer dinner."

Hikaru nods and walks over to his mother. "Ne...I think we should have a really special dinner...because hikaru really loves kaa-san's fried potatoes with the tomato sauce you put on top of it...and mato-chan would love some of those dumplings you make too." Shiny onyx eyes stared up at hinata as her oldest twin pouted at her, trying to convince her to make them their special dinner.

"All right, if it'll make my babies happy then I'll make you all your dinner." matoko clapped her hands in joy, hikaru letting out a soundless yes in victory, and yuki shouting out a yea.

"Of course, I expect you to help me hikaru, after all you're the one that wants this the most." hinata twitched hikaru's nose gently as she giggled.

"...Well, okay...deal kaa-san!" the uchiha boy smiled wide as he shook hands with his mother.

"Then let's get that dinner started, shall we hikaru dear?" matoko and sasuke both laugh as hikaru extended his arm to let hinata hold onto it. Mother and son both walk passed the rest of the family and stand at the exit of the room.

"Kaa-san and I are gonna make the best dinner you've guys have ever seen! And then we're gonna have her awesome dumplings for dessert."Hikaru gave his family a thumbs-up sign.

Sasuke is about to retort and embarrass his son a bit more when a small gust of wind enters the bedroom, making a small envelope on his night table fall gently to the floor. The uchiha head is the only one to see it, and he picks it up from the floor. His onyx eyes widen as he recognizes the letter, the letter he received from itachi's son four years ago. 'Why now? I've almost forgotten about this letter. I shouldn't react so strongly by seeing it again...but..." sasuke looks at his daughter who is sitting on the floor beside him on the bed. 'Why is it a feel such an ominous feeling from it...after all this time? Matoko...' sasuke stares at the back of his daughter's head, the ominous feeling her was getting only increasing as he watched her laugh and smile with the family.

"Tou-zan...tou-zan?" sasuke jumps slightly as he looks down, his son yuki had gone down from his back and was now looking at him with a worried pout. "Are you okayz? Doesh your tummy hurt?" sasuke smiles weakly and ruffles yuki's hair.

"Ie, I'm fine. Just got caught up in my thoughts that's all." he gave a reassuring nod to his wife, who also seemed concerned. "Better yet, you should go help your mother and brother with the cooking yuki." sasuke smirked as yuki nodded fervently and ran over to stand by his mother.

"Hey! How come you and mato-chan are the only ones not cooking tou-san?" hikaru complained as he threw a somewhat angry glare at his father.

"Because me and tou-san have helped kaa-san with dinner all this week. Isn't that right kaa-san?" matoko stuck out her tongue at her brother hikaru, as hinata nodded her agreement.

"Come along you two, we've got a lot of work to do if we want to make this dinner super special." hinata winked at her husband as she pushed out an excited yuki and a pouting hikaru from the room and towards the kitchen.

The room soon became eerily quiet, as matoko and sasuke remained int their spots in the room. The girl coughs trying to get rid of the sudden tension in the room. She stands up and dusts her white capris before turning around to smile at her father.

"Hehehe, we should probably go downstairs and help them, or kaa-san will give you the burnt potatoes that nii-san made." matoko rubs the back of her head nervously as she talks, trying to ignore the intense stare her father was giving her. "Well...umm, I'll meet you down there tou-san." the twelve-year old turns to leave, but is caught by her father's strong hand. She turns and gives a questioning look to her father. "..T-Tou-san?" her pearlescent eyes widen as she is forced on her knees and her father holds her face gently in both of his hands. "...P-Papa? W-What is it?"

Sasuke's eyes do not leave his daughter as memories begin to flood into his mind. When matoko was a year old and had managed to climb the eight foot slide in the park, she had slid down to the bottom, but hurt her knee in the process. He bandaged it up, but he had never been afraid for someone else's life as he was with his little girl. When she turned four, his brother itachi, had successfully managed to kidnap her. He had wanted to kill himself for letting his sick twisted brother get a hold of his daughter. Hours after he had his final battle with itachi, which ended the man's life, sasuke with the injury in his chest still seeping blood, had gone out to look for matoko. He was bent on finding her, whether it killed him or not. Sasuke had cried for the first time since matoko had been born, when he found her huddled inside a hole in a old oak tree. He felt a immense wave of relief wash over him when that four year old little girl opened her pearlescent eyes and smiled at him. He had vowed that day, to never let anything hurt his precious matoko again. When she was six though, sasuke found out, that he was also included in the list of things that could hurt her. He could still see it in his mind. His harsh, cold, and insulting yells. His sharingan rotating with each word he threw at matoko. The tears that fell down his little girl's face as he hurt her more than any weapon could. He had called her useless and weak. To this day, he still doesn't know why he did what he did, but he has regretted it ever since. Of course not all his memories were bad. The first word she spoke was 'papa'. When she had learned how to walk, she followed him wherever he went, and though he never admitted it, he loved the way her little feet tried to mimic his own large steps. Her first drawing was a tree and him standing next to it. Her first festival naruto had won her a purple bunny, and she had given it to him as a father's day gift. On his twenty-fifth birthday, matoko and hinata had baked him a chocolate vanilla swirl cake in the shape of a tomato, because his daughter had requested it that way. The first time she received her report card, he loved the look of happiness and glee she had, when he patted her head and gave her a kiss on the forehead for her perfect grades.

Now, looking at this twelve-year old girl, her face already changing with her teenage years coming up. Looking more and more like her mother everyday. Sasuke couldn't help but worry, what now? Would she still come to him with every little problem? Would he be there to listen in the first place. Does she think it childish to hug her father every morning before leaving out the door for her daily activities? Is he really ready to admit that matoko, his matoko was growing up? And though he wishes he could, he knows he can't stop her?

Sasuke plants a small kiss on matoko's forehead as he remembers his fondest memory of matoko. When he walked up to that little crib and saw little pale feet wiggling around, and those beautiful pearlescent eyes staring at him with as much curiosity as he was watching her. And that smile, that cute little smile she had given him.

"And to think...I could have lost you matoko...' Sasuke thought as he embraced his now twelve-year old daughter into his arms. 'I'm coming to the part of your life where I won't and can't say what I want so bad to say, where I want to...but I know I can't get in your way. Your dreams, and your hopes...is something I need to accept...is a place where I can't follow.'

"P-Papa?"

"You...are so...amazing...my matoko..." a blush covered the girl's cheeks at her father's murmured words. "I'm glad...life didn't take you away from me, I am proud to be your father matoko. Please just...never forget that."

"H-Hai, p-papa..."a content smile fell on matoko's face as she finally returned her father's embrace. Taking advantage of her father's affection, affection she only sees given to hikaru.

Daughter and father separate and look at each other, a content look on their faces. Sasuke pets his daughter's hair and smirks.

"Now, let's get going, or those burnt potatoes are gonna be yours.." matoko sticks her tongue out as she nods and runs off towards the kitchen, intend on beating her father.

Sasuke stands from the floor and looks over at the letter on the table. The small smile on his face turns into a frown. The letter seems to mock him and his memories of matoko. 'Why is it, that I feel that matoko is slipping farther and father away from me every time I see this letter.'

"Tou-san! Hurry up or nii-san's going to get dibs on the food first!" matoko's voice echoes down the hall as she waves to her father from the door leading to the living room.

"Yea, yea I'm coming." sasuke walks out of the door and follows after his daughter. As he watches her walk ahead of him, the uchiha gets the same foreboding feeling in his heart again. "She's slipping away I can feel it, her becoming a genin has increased this feeling in my chest. What's making it much worse though, what's making me recall such wonderful memories of matoko and me...is the fact that I feel I'm the one making her slip away. Please...let me be wrong.'

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed it! Btw, I'll point this out now. I suggest all of you ingest this sweet father-daughter moment between matoko and sasuke, cause...it's the last one for awhile. My story's angsty side will begin to show next time! **


	13. Ch11 Part One: Absence

**Well, I do owe some type of explanation huh? To put it simply then, my absence on updating my stories come from school. Yep, I'm in the academic decathlon and I got state tests coming up, the exit level tests for this young lady. So, forgive me now for farther apart updates than before. As for the story itself...**

**Here we go. ch. 11 is gonna be split into three parts. All three parts will have three to four one-shots within the sole part. For example, ch.11 part one which is below you, has four separate one-shots. The next two parts of ch. 11 have three one-shots in each. Why am I doing this? Well I have ch. 12 completely written out, it was originally gonna be ch.11, but stupid authoress forgot that most people won't get the story at all if I had a three year time-skip. So I added these one-shots to begin to explain events that will lead up to my current plot from ch.8 if any of you remembered it. Ch. 12 will pick up from ch. 8. (If you forgot what I'm talking about, I may suggest reading ch. 8 again lol.) **

**That's it for now then. I'll be posting part two and three soon, since I'm enjoying my spring break. Oh, another suggestion. ch. 11 part one, two and three are gonna be LONG chapters, and since they're made up of one shots, you can take breaks in between each small story and then pick up again. Or read the whole thing, whichever one suits you better my friends. I hope to hear from you through reviews, and please if you're confused about anything don't hesitate to ask. Each one-shot is separated by a line, just for any that like to continuously read without stopping.**

**Disclaimer: Cause everyone here really thinks I'm a Japanese man that makes naruto chapters every week and then comes here to support a crack pairing? **

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

The first mission of a new genin team should always be a special and memorable one. Well, looks like for uchiha matoko, uzumaki renji, and lee rei that's exactly what it was...just not the special and memorable way they wanted it. 

The moment they heard their sensei's voice call their names into the new team one, matoko, renji, and rei rejoiced that they would be in a ninja squad together. Matoko had wanted to be in a team with her brother Hikaru, but he had been put on team three, which was himself, Yutsuko Inuzuka, and Mieko Aburame. Hikaru had hoped to be with his sister as well, or with one of the Hyuga twins, preferably the calm one, Nanaho. But both twins were now in team four with Senichi Aburame. 

Matoko though, was thrilled to be with her best friend Renji. As Renji, was thrilled to be with his crush matoko. Rei was just excited to be in a team of excellent friends who would show as much youthful energy as she would. Of course, now, as they stood each in separate trees around the konoha forest trying to complete a simple D mission that wasn't turning out the way they or their sensei had expected, they were starting to wonder if three ninja squads were such a good idea for genin. 

A blur of navy blue and white passed by renji's vision as matoko landed on a tree branch not far from him. He could see her byakugan activated, rapidly moving back and forth to locate their target. Renji's blue eyes trailed down below him, where rei had crouched down under a bush. Her black eyes darted between two trees that led to an open field. Renji squeezed his earphone a bit tighter before speaking into the microphone attached to the ear piece. 

"Ne, Mato-chan? See our target anywhere?"

"Hai...it appears our target is about 10 km northwest of here, rei-chan think you can implant some of your weapon bombs over there?"

"On my way matoko-chan! Renji-kun need ya to back me up!"

"You gotta it rei-chan! And lets try to get this over with guys, it's been over four hours now."

"Renji-kun is right. My byakugan has its limit, so what do you suggest renji-kun?"

"As soon as rei-chan comes back from planting down the weapon bombs I'll explain my strategy."

"Hai!"

Both girls shout out before rei-chan leaps out from the bush and jumps towards the other side of the empty field. Renji nods up towards matoko before he leaps down and scans the field for anything that could attack his teammate. Minutes later, rei comes back her green sweater blending in with the grass as she runs. Matoko takes one last look around with her byakugan for anything, and then comes down from the tree branch to join her team. Renji looks at both of the girls before opening a scroll. Smiling the fox grin he had inherited from his father, renji begins pointing to different writings in the scroll and explaining them to matoko and rei. 

"So what'cha think guys?"

"This might work renji-kun! And if we do it right, we can be back home without being late. Tou-san would hate it if I showed up late.

"I agree with matoko-chan! My father and I always have our push-up exercises after dinner and my vigorous energy would be gone if I don't come early for dinner."

Both renji and matoko look at her, a huge sweat drop falling down the side of their heads. They both turn to look at each other and give a fake smile.

"Right..."

"Anyways, so we agree with my strategy...now we just gotta choose a good place to execute it."

"Renji-kun, We're in a part of konoha territory where the hills are unusually rocky and bumpy. If we can lead our target there, I'm sure we can make your plan work all the way."

"Good job mato-chan! You're absolutely right! Ok, so rei-chan mato-chan we're once and for all gonna get our target! Believe it!"

Both girl place their hands on renji's and nod in excited agreement. With that the three genin stand from their spot and look at each other one last time before disappearing in a blur of leaves. 

Team one's sensei Nara Shikamaru, stood against one of the tall wooden posts of a training ground, a burnt cigarette in his mouth. Checking his watch the grimace on his face deepened.

"More than four hours...damn kids are getting too troublesome for me again. I understand lee's kid, but renji and matoko? Their fathers our known as the new sannin for crying out loud. Figure'd they'd be a bit more faster with this mission."

The man stares up at the clouds before looking down at his watch again.

"They better hurry up, before I name this pain in the ass mission a failure."

Matoko uses her byakugan to watch ahead of her for any signs of their target as she watches renji and rei prepare to make their moves.

A rumbling noise is heard from the left side of renji, and a large stampede of cows turn the corner in the empty field heading toward rei and renji, and towards the weapon bombs rei had planted.

Renji nods to rei, and signals matoko with a small wave of his fingers. The two girls jump in front of the cows and lead them in a straight path to the bombs. Matoko uses her gentle fist to send a surge of chakra to attack the cows. The cows fall for it and run towards bombs. The bombs ignite as soon as the first cow steps on them. All the cows are send into a crazed frenzy, not knowing where to go. Rei leaps from the tree she was hidden in, and begins to surround the cows in a make-shift steel fence with her steel rope. 

Matoko and rei high-five each other as the cows finally settle down and line up against each other in the metal rope fence. Both girls turn to see their male teammate chase after a lone calf, that is refusing to let himself get caught. Rei laughs and heads over to help, when renji causes the calf to run towards both the girls. Renji attaches himself to the calf to try and stop it, but the small animal continues its run. Matoko looks on in shock, and runs over to the fence to let the calf run in. Both her teammates are now attached to the calf as it runs inside the fence. The impact of the calf entering the fence causes a chain reaction. Renji releases the calf, but bumps into rei as he begins to roll on the ground, causing rei to roll in the opposite direction, which made her legs hit matoko's and causing the uchiha girl to collapse on the trampled earth of the ground. Angry byakugan-activated eyes glare at rei and renji, as they laugh nervously at their teammate's appearance, and their own. Renji, rei, and matoko are both now covered in dirt and dust.

"Eh, it could have been worse matoko-chan..." renji smiles as matoko stands and cleans some of the dust from her hair.

Another cold glare directed at him matoko sighs. "Just help rei-chan take the cows back to higurashi-san, I'm going to hand shikamaru-sensei our mission report."

"Let's go renji-kun, you don't want to mess with that angry energy." rei grabs renji by the collar and pulls him towards the grazing cows. "See you tomorrow matoko-chan!" the black-haired girl shouts as she and renji begin to lead the cows back home.

Renji pouts sadly as he tries to reach for matoko. "Ne, gomen matoko-chan! See you tomorrow! Please don't be mad!"

The uchiha girl looks at her clothes. Her white capris covered in dirt and her navy blue sweater wrinkled from the fall. Matoko smiles though and waves good-bye to her friends as well, and heads back to the training grounds to hand her team's report of their mission to their sensei.

An upset look is on matoko's face as she walks down the road of the uchiha compound. Her sensei, shikamaru had laughed as he read the report, and patted her head. 'It's hard to believe you three had such a hard time with your mission, but those cows can be dangerous.' matoko's frown deepened as she recalled her sensei's words. Renji and rei would never hear the end of it from shikamaru-sensei when they met tomorrow for their second mission as genin. Matoko let out an unusual grunt as she walked up to her front door.

She sighed as she entered, already hearing the voices of her parents and her two brothers. She enters the kitchen where her mother looks at her in surprise, apparently the condition of her clothes shocked everyone else.

"Sweetie, what happened?" hinata asked as she kneeled in front of her daughter.

"Un, nothing kaa-san...nothing at all." matoko's left eyebrow twitched as she removed her hitai-ate and placed it on the table.

"So...you failed your first mission mato-chan?" the girl's mood was lowered as she stared at her brother's mocking smile. "Mine was a complete success! I was telling tou-san and kaa-san all about it. We got some cat that was missing, we found it in record time. About thirty minutes, though yutsuko almost fainted from the cat smell, and the cat was almost killed by her dog." hikaru shrugged as he turned back to his dinner.

"How was yours matoko?" the girl looked up at the expecting eyes of her father.

Matoko sighed and shook her head. "Ie, we successfully finished it, it was just a bit more than we expected, that's all."

"What'd you expect mato-chan? With the dobe there it was kinda obvi-" hikaru was surprised to be looking up at the ceiling, and to be feeling a stinging sensation on his cheek. His sister had slapped him.

With an angry pout, matoko turned and began to walk towards the stairs to her room. 

"What about your dinner matoko?" hinata shouted out.

"NOT HUNGRY!" with that matoko's figure disappeared up the stairs.

Hinata looked at sasuke, who tried to suppress his laughter as he shrugged and looked down at his son who was finally over the shock. Hikaru looked at both of his parents in confusion, as he rubbed his sore cheek. Yuki had ignored the whole thing, far more into eating his dinner.

"What I do?"

"Just eat your dinner hikaru." both sasuke and hinata tell him as they sit down to finish theirs. 

* * *

They were still training huh? Well of course it was to be expected. Hikaru was twelve now, and his sharingan had developed much quicker than their father had first thought. Hikaru was also a valuable asset to his genin team, and having his sharingan at maximum capacity at all times was a must. Still, matoko thought as she stared at her father and brother test out their sharingan's against each other, it was painful to watch.

Her father had been training hikaru, and solely hikaru, since they graduated the academy nearly six months ago. Both she and hikaru have had a lot of missions since then, and both their sensei's training had helped with the success of their missions as well. Matoko and renji had increased their ninjutsu ability through team one, and rei had learned more about genjutsu, though she still refused to use it in combat, preferring her taijutsu. Hikaru's taijutsu had improved immensely with team three, he now surpassed her. Her friend yutsuko inuzuka, had improved her relationship with her ninja dog, and both were now a powerful duo against ninja enemies. Mieko and her bugs were now in the equal level of her father before her. All her friends had gained something with their new genin teams.

"Yet, father still insists on training only hikaru with his sharingan." matoko mumbled quietly to herself as she watched sasuke and hikaru exchange identical blows. 

Of course, she wasn't left out in the cold completely. Her mother trained her vigorously on her gentle fist and her byakugan. And when her mother had jounin duties, she would train with her uncle and cousins. Neji, and nami were quite the strong team when matoko trained with them. Nanaho was also teaching her some medical jutsus she had picked up from sakura. Overall, her byakugan had surpassed her uncle neji when he was a genin, and her genjutsu skills were immensely improving. Her gentle fist technique, beat out nami's and nanaho's, surprising neji, hinata, and her grandfather hiashi. Besides being the second top genin rookie of her class, her genin status was already becoming high in the standards of konoha ninjas. Yes, her byakugan was a force to be reckon with, and everybody knew it, accepted it, feared it. 

But her brother was stronger, his sharingan more formidable, and HE was the top genin graduate of their class. Matoko realized, as she continued to see the training session between her brother and father, that no matter how long she trained, how hard, how much she improved, how much her byakugan surpassed the hyuga clan's, how many times a day she trained with her hyuga family, or her mother, it was never, NEVER going to be enough to surpass her brother. He was ahead in the road of life. And as she watched each blow her brother made make contact with her father's, she knew there was no way she'd ever catch up to him. Matoko pushed her knees up to her chest and buried her head in between. 

That was how she viewed her brother now, ever since they graduated, their father had turned his head away from her and kept his eyes on hikaru. All she could see of her brother now, was his back. Always walking ahead of her, picking her up when she was down, always mocking her with his improvements that made hers look like absolute trash. An unreachable person. Her byakugan would never beat his sharingan. She would never beat her brother. 

She hid her bitterness well though, she smiled at her mother when she complimented her training and how well she had done. When her cousins laughed at how much they needed to do to catch up to her. She just smiled and blushed the praise. She knew it was all lies after all. Her brother was better, he had done better that day. And he and her father always made sure she knew it, when they spoke about their training sessions. She smiled through it all, acted like it didn't hurt, like she had accomplished just as much, that her father's words of immense praise and pride to her brother weren't stabbing her like a thousand knives. Everyone believed her mask. They all thought she was happy, that she was just as good as her brother. And as long as people thought that, she was ok with continuing the lie. 

Even when her father praised her, when she would train with hikaru, she knew. He was looking more at hikaru's abilities against the byakugan, then her byakugan itself. She felt her father's words as empty. The 'good jobs', 'way a go kid, knew you improved immensely.', 'as expected from my matoko.' All of it. She knew he was just saying it, to not make her feel left out. Of course it was always hikaru, no one but him. Up until recently, she had been avoiding coming home early from her missions, so she wouldn't have to see those training sessions. Her father had suggested she come watch, so she could see how a strong genjutsu user used his abilities in battles. 

So here she was now, watching with a deep pain in her throat, as she literally watched her brother grow more in power. Pearlescent eyes darken in anger, as she watches her brother make blow after blow. She would never reach that level. No, her uncle neji and her mother would never help her be that strong. The training she does with her team, would never be enough either.

Her tired eyes wander back down to her feet, when she hears the skid of two pair of feet stop. Hikaru and her father were done for the day. 

"Never strong enough, never good enough." she mumbled to herself as the shadows of sasuke and hikaru come towards her. 

"Ne, mato-chan! What'cha think of our training today? I did pretty good huh?" hikaru laughed heartily as he sat next to her and grabbed a towel to wipe away his sweat.

"Hn, you could still do better hikaru. Don't think that's the best you can do or I'll kick your butt again." sasuke smirked as his son pouted and stuck out his tongue at him.

"Psh, yea sure tou-san! I just went easy on you cause I was tired from my mission today." hikaru continued to laugh as his father ruffled his hair.

Matoko stayed quiet between the two, trying to escape from that place. She didn't want to hear them jokingly talk about their training as if it was nothing. Matoko looked up slowly to stare at her brother as he poked her to get her attention.

"Ne...I asked you a question mato-chan? Didn't you hear me?"hikaru asked with tone of concern

"Ie, what was it nii-san?" her eyes drifted down to the floor, staring at them both was making her sick

"I asked what you thought of our training?"

Sasuke stared down at his daughter, a strange yet awful familiarity coming up his mind. Her eyes were reminding him of something he couldn't quite catch. 

"Hey! Mato-chan! Pay attention, if you're not gonna pa-" 

"I don't care ok! I don't care about your training sessions hikaru! I don't ok!" matoko shouted at her stunned brother. "I didn't even wanna be here! I gain nothing from these stupid training sessions between you and father!"

Sasuke frowns and grabs matoko shoulder to turn her to face him. "That's enough matoko. Stop yelling at your brother, he did nothing wrong. Now calm down and tell us why you think..." Sasuke eyes widen in shock as matoko stares at him...with a deep deep hate.

"Don't touch me! I already told you! I don't wanna be here, these stupid training sessions are for you and hikaru, not for me...never for me." Matoko stands up quickly, and before hikaru or sasuke could stop her, she runs and disappears around the corner.

"T-Tou-san..." Sasuke looks down at his son, who shivers with fear and sadness.

"It's all right. I'll talk to her later...go off and get clean up for dinner." sasuke pushed his son towards the opposite direction. Hikaru stares at his father with uncertainty before nodding and running towards his room.

Sasuke sighs and walks down the hall towards where his daughter had disappeared at. The uchiha patriarch turn the corner and sees his wife waiting for him at the other end, a solemn look on her face.

He smiles softly as she turns to look at him, but it disappears when she doesn't return it. 

"I think it's best if you stay away from matoko for awhile sasuke." hinata says as she sighs and grabs onto her apron tightly.

A scowl forms on sasuke's face as he stands in front of his wife. Her head reaching his chest. "Why the hell should I hinata?" his deep angry voice echoes in hinata's ears.

"because...I don't think your heart could take it..." hinata replied her eyes already forming tears.

"What are you talking about?" sasuke asks as his scowl deepens.

"...Right now...your daughter...hates you...and I don't know why." With that hinata kisses his chin softly before leaving towards the kitchen, tears slowly falling from her eyes. 

Sasuke stands alone in the hall, a blank look on his face. All could hear was hinata's words. Piercing him, deeper than it should. 'Your daughter hates you...hates you...hates you..'

Sasuke reacts and walks slowly towards the dining room, trying to shake off the feeling in his chest. Matoko was turning into a teenager, it was just a pre-teen thing, that was all. But as he entered the dining room, he spotted his daughter sitting on a small sofa in the corner. Pearlescent meets onyx for a moment, before matoko turns away and jumps off the couch. Her figure disappears into another room. And all sasuke saw in those innocent eyes, was hate. 

* * *

Six whole months, six whole months since the small incident between matoko and sasuke. Yet, hinata, couldn't let it go. It plagued her mind. Matoko was a sweet girl, she was the calm one of her twins, and that was the first time hinata had really seen her daughter so angry at someone. It hurt worse, to find out that someone, was sasuke. Matoko seemed to have forgotten about it though. She was thirteen now, and she just passed a whole year with her genin team. Her daughter seemed happy, she always had a fantastic story to tell her when she came home from a mission. Renji and rei had become her really close friends, and matoko never seemed to get enough of them. 

Hinata, was still worried. Yes, six months can ease away the tension caused by something, but the uchiha matriarch still felt it around her. Matoko had ignored her father for a whole week after her outburst, and hikaru for two. In the end though, matoko had apologized for her behavior to both of them, and they apologized to her. For sasuke, it all seemed good again, like it would all be like it was before. For hinata, all wasn't the same. Matoko had gone deeper into her training, and she found her to be concentrating more on strengthening her abilities, then anything else. Before, matoko was more carefree and loved to spent time with the family, training, and improving her byakugan wasn't on top of her to-do list. And now, it was all her daughter was thinking about. Sure, she goofed off with her team, getting in trouble with renji for skipping a training session to watch naruto at his job. Coming home covered in dirt after trying to break off fights between renji and rei. Rei always won. Outside her home, matoko seemed to be her old-self. Inside though, it was always a different story. 

Hinata stopped kneading her cookie dough, as her thoughts kept making her lose concentration. What was happening to her daughter? Was she really all right, like she made everyone believe? Sasuke seemed to think so, but the uchiha woman knew otherwise. He was troubled, she knew he was. Otherwise, his harder attempts to be around matoko wouldn't have been as obvious. 

Hinata's opaque eyes looked towards the living room, where shuffling feet could be heard. The woman smiled when matoko's head popped out from the corner of the living room and kitchen. The young girl waved to her mother before completely entering the kitchen. Hinata returned to kneading her dough and watched from the corner of her eye, as her young teenage daughter watched her. 

"Ne, what are you gonna bake kaa-san?" pearlescent eyes looked up to look at her mother.

"Chocolate chip cookies, yuki has been good lately with his kunai training and I thought I'd reward him." 

"Hmm, that's nice." matoko replied softly.

Hinata smiled at matoko as she nodded. A thought popped into her head as she continued to knead the dough. The woman nudged her daughter with her elbow.

"Would you like to help matoko? I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know his big sister help make his favorite cookies."

The young uchiha looked at the cookie dough and then at her mother. It would be nice to relax for once. She had been training non-stop with her team all day, and just now was released to go home. Besides, it was for her little yuki. Grinning, matoko nodded and ran over to grab an apron. 

Hinata shakes her head in amusement and separates the dough in half. Matoko ties her apron, and runs over to the counter to grab the chocolate chips. The girl returns to her mother and opens the bag of chocolate chips. 

"Here kaa-san, all ready to pour into the mix." 

"Good, now you take this half and I'll take the other and we should make twenty-four cookies each." hinata hands the half empty bag to her daughter and begins to mix the chips with the dough.

Matoko nods and does the same. All is quiet as the two uchiha girls roll the dough into little balls and place them on the cookie sheet. Hinata watches her daughter intently put each roll of cookie dough on the sheet, and wonders whether she could use this time to talk to her.

The woman releases a sigh before speaking. "Ne, matoko dear?"

"Hai?" matoko looks up from her rolling.

"Is...Is everything all right?" Hinata placed the last of the roll of cookie dough on the sheet and turned to look at matoko.

The teenage girl stops her rolling and gives her mother a confused stare. "...Ne...hai...I'm fine kaa-san, why?"

Hinata's opaque eyes narrow in saddens as she places her hand on matoko's cheek. "Are you sure? There's nothing...y-you want to tell me?" 

Matoko moved her head away and stares at the small roll in her hand. "What's there to tell mother? I'm fine, so I don't know what you're trying to get with this."

Hinata watched with remorse as her daughter returned to her dough rolling, a solemn look on her face. 

"Do you remember ...the first time...your father yelled at you...matoko?" hinata asked as she put the first tray of cookies in the oven to bake.

The uchiha woman caught the motion of her daughter's hands freeze as she asked her question. Matoko placed the roll of dough on the sheet and gave a small sad smile. "...How could I not remember?"

"You had tried to complete a set of taijutsu techniques he had mastered at your age, six. You...failed at every one while your bro-"

"While my brother completed every single one with perfection." matoko nodded slowly as the memories began to appear in her mind.

"You're father was already frustrated with paperwork between the clan meetings and those with the hokage. He just decided to let out his anger on you. I know you were hu-"

"I was hurt, and embarrassed. I cried because I thought I was no use to my father, that he..hated me." matoko's empty tone of voice shook hinata as she spoke.

"I won't make excuses for him matoko. Your father...crossed the line there, and I'm sorry I couldn't do more to help you." hinata smiled sadly as she pulled back some of matoko's hair.

"Ie, it's ok...you did nothing wrong mother." matoko replied beginning to roll the dough again.

"...Matoko...may I ask you something?" hinata's lips trembled with hidden nerves.

"Hai?" 

"Do...you...hate your father, for what he did to you?" Sad opaque eyes looked down at her daughter's eyes, which were wide in surprise.

"...I don't know kaa-san. There's a lot of things bothering me...that's all. My fa-" the girl gasped as she was surrounded by her mother's arms.

Tears rolled down hinata's cheeks as she held her daughter. "You're lying, I know you are. You're just like your father, trying to hide your pain. Even when it's killing you on the inside."

Pearlescent eyes slowly close as she embraces her mother back. "Can..I? C-Can I hate papa, mother? Even if...it's just for a little bit? Can I blame h-him for...making me feel like, I'm weak and useless?"

Hinata nodded slowly. "Hai, it's ok sweetie. Don't hide your fee-"

Both girls turn to hear the door opening and three voices yell out that they're home. Matoko lets go of hinata and wipes away her tears, that had fallen while talking to her mother. The young uchiha takes off her apron and begins to walk off towards her room. Hinata stretches out her hand to reach for matoko, but feels a small weight cling to her leg. She looks down and sees her youngest son, yuki, smile wide at her.

"Hi, kaa-san! We're back from visiting uncle naruto! It was tons of fun!" hinata pats yuki's head as she turns towards the direction matoko was walking by. Matoko stands by the doorway, she mouthes out a thank you, smiles and disappears around the corner. 

Hinata looks down sadly at her son and tries to give a genuine smile. "I'm glad you had fun dear. Now go and find your sister, I'm sure she'd want to hear about your visit." 

Yuki grins and lets go of his mother's leg and runs off to find matoko. Hikaru walks in with lollipops and smiles at his mother.

"Hey kaa-san! Hope you had time to make those cookies for yuki, he's been craving some since we left uncle naruto's." 

Hinata nods slowly as she places the cookie sheet matoko filled into the oven. "Hai, almost done."

"I'm gonna go give this to mato-chan! Cherry flavored lollipops are her favorite." hikaru laughs and plants a quick kiss on his mother's cheeks before walking towards matoko's room. 

"You all right?" hinata turns her head towards the opposite entrance of the kitchen where a worried sasuke stood.

"I'm fine."

"Why does that sound like a lie to me hinata?" the man walks towards his wife and turns her to face him. "Hinata?"

Hinata's eyes look up to stare at the onyx colored eyes of her husband. His gaze holds a deep worry and slight fear. The woman places her hand gently on sasuke's cheek and smiles. "I'm fine sasuke. Really, you should go with the children...you h-have a mission tomorrow and won't be able to see them for a couple of days." Hinata kisses her husband's lips and then walks off briskly towards the living room. 

Sasuke looks at his wife's retreating back with disbelief, but concedes with her request and goes to find his kids. 

In the living room, hinata sits on the couch, letting her tears fall slowly down her cheeks. 'She's in pain, in so much pain...and she's hiding it. Just like I used to do. Sasuke...you're hurting our daughter, but..I don't know...how to...to tell you.' 

* * *

The uchiha patriarch releases another sigh as he walks down the road. He had been personally summoned by the his father-in-law and neji. Now sasuke would normally think nothing of this if it weren't for the fact, that they only invited him and just him. Hinata had given him a reassuring smile. Telling him not to worry, though she honestly didn't know why her father or cousin would want to see him privately. 

Sasuke huffed to himself and turned the corner towards the front gates of the hyuga compound. Annoyed onyx eyes trailed up and down, already hating being near the place. 

"Might as well get this over with." The uchiha knocked twice on the door, and was immediately met by two guards. Both hyuga men quickly recognized the man, as the 'uchiha who stole their precious heiress' and grimaced as they bowed and allowed him to enter.

"Hiashi-sama and neji-sama are waiting for you in their private tea room." one guard said

"I'm sure you know where that is uchiha-sama." the other finished.

"Yea, thanks boys, at ease." sasuke smirked as he spotted the two guards scowl at him as he walked down the hallway. 

The uchiha let out a yawn, and knocked on the closed door to the tea room. Seconds pass, before sasuke hears a deep voice telling him to come in. The man opens the door to find neji and hiashi both looking at him as if he had made a mistake and they were both going to correct it for him. Sasuke raises an eyebrow and walks inside to stand in front of the two men.

"What's up with those faces? You guys invite me over, and give me a look like I freaking invaded your home or something." 

"Hmm, Nothing like that uchiha...just sit down." neji points to an empty spot on the table occupied by him and hiashi.

Sasuke shrugs and calmly walks over and sits down. "So, what, if I may ask, owes me the pleasure of coming here for a visit?"

Neji looks over at hiashi, who nods slowly before turning to face the uchiha man. "Uchiha, did you bring what I asked?" the old head of the hyuga clan boomed his question.

The uchiha patriarch reached into his pocket and took out the old crumpled letter and placed it on the table. "Yea, the letter that little bastard ichimaru wrote over five years ago. Just like you asked."

All three men stare at the old letter with outward and inward hate. Neji grabs the letter first and reads over it quickly. 

"Has the outcast made any moves since the letter arrived?" Brown hair flows back as neji stares at sasuke hard.

Sasuke shakes his head slowly, a solemn look overtaking his face. "Ie, so far he seemed to have completely disappeared from here since he delivered the letter. And shikamaru reported no strange chakra when matoko is out with her team." 

Both hiashi and neji nod. Sasuke stares at them both, his eyes narrowing in thought. "What are you trying to get out of this? Why did you two call me for?"

Hiashi narrows his eyes as well and replies angrily. "Our concern isn't you uchiha. It is the safety of my daughter and grandchildren, more specifically of my granddaughter, matoko."

Neji sighs as he places the letter back on the table. "We've had our concerns about this for awhile sasuke. This ichimaru sent us a letter, threatening to take away your daughter. Then vanishes from this area for more than five years without so much as an attempt to fulfill what he had wrote."

Sasuke stares at the letter, a deep scowl on his face. "Hai, I know. It's been bothering me for awhile as well. At first I thought perhaps he had given up halfway and left it at that. But he intends to complete what he says after matoko turns fifteen. So what's stopping him from making attempts now?" neji silently agrees with sasuke as the three men look at the crumpled note on the table. 

"Her training sasuke..." surprised onyx eyes look up to meet with hiashi's stern gaze.

"What about matoko's training?" sasuke asked slowly.

"Are you training her? Besides our training with her byakugan she should be getting taijutsu from you uchiha." hiashi replies coldly.

Sasuke looks down a bit apprehensive to answer. "I...haven't been training matoko." neji and hiashi snap their heads towards the uchiha's direction. 

Neji grunts angrily and semi-shouts at the black haired man. "What do you mean you haven't been training her! Uchiha! You know better than anyone in this village how difficult it is to fight with a sharingan user."

"Neji is correct, and you know full well that you won't be here to protect matoko all the time. She'll be out on missions where you can't follow. She needs at least a little experience with a sharingan user."

Sasuke slams his fist on the table, silencing both of the hyugas. "I know! Yes, I realize me not training her was a bad idea. And I know I can't always be there to protect her. Which is why I'm training hikaru to his full potential."

Hiashi huffs and look directly at sasuke. "That boy will do no good! He's too involved into his training uchiha!"

"He'll learn techniques of the sharingan I didn't even know existed when I was his age! Both matoko and hikaru have teachers that work around the same area in their missions. If something were to go wrong and matoko can't defend herself hikaru will be there to protect her not to mention her other teammates." Sasuke shouts at hiashi who sits rigidly as he stares at the upset uchiha.

"Will that really help uchiha? Teach everything you know to your child, the child that isn't even the target?" neji asks calmly as he sips some of the tea he had poured himself.

"I know it sounds ridiculous to be doing it this way. But if hikaru can learn more about his own sharingan, facing another opponent that has the same eye jutsu will become easy for him, he could defeat ichimaru before he tries to harm matoko..." sasuke turns to look at hiashi who had patted his hand before placing his own hand back down to his lap. "...Hiashi?"

"You're afraid...aren't you?" Tired and old hyuga eyes look up to stare at sasuke.

"Afraid? Well, of course I am. My daughter's life could be put in jeopardy at any moment. What the hell kinda question is that!" sasuke replied harshly as he stared between neji and hiashi, who both seemed to share knowing glances. 

"If you train your daughter in the uchiha ways, you're afraid she'll become strong...so strong that she won't need you anymore. She won't need your protection, and that terrifies you more than having her badly injured by an enemy or kidnapped by said enemy." hiashi speaks to sasuke with hidden wisdom.

Sasuke stares back and forth between his hands and the table. He clenches his fists and looks at both men with anger. "You both must be going crazy with your duties or something to be coming up with such a stupid conclusion. My reasons for refusing to train matoko are mine to know and mine alone. Your words hold no truths in them, so enough."

"When hinata left to join anbu, I was afraid." hiashi spoke softly as two pair of eyes watch him. "I did want her to become strong, to represent the true strength of the hyuga clan. To be the heiress I knew she could be. I criticized her over and over throughout her early teenage years. Making her make herself stronger, so she wouldn't disappoint me. But...when she had finally acquired that immense power I knew she had, I felt...incredible fear. The feeling I now know, every father in this world will face when their daughters gain this strength. I felt her slipping through me protective grasp. She didn't need me anymore, she could take care of herself completely. Her father...didn't need to stand by her side to pick her back up, anymore. Of course, I felt pride that she had grown so much, but that fear in the pit of my stomach, didn't go away either." hiashi finished his small story and stared at sasuke who seemed to comprehend what the old hyuga had said. 

Still, the uchiha shook his head and gave a half smile. "I appreciate the small tale of your life hiashi, but what you experienced with hinata, doesn't mean I'll experience it with matoko. If I ever decide to train her, it'll be by own choice...and the fear of losing her as you so say is not even a factor in my decision hiashi. Because I won't lose her." with that sasuke grabs the letter, rises from the table, gives a curt bow to the hyuga men, and exits the room, but not before saying. "I'll give you any info I find out about ichimaru, or about matoko's involvement in this whole affair. Until next time, neji...hiashi."

Neji releases another withheld sigh and finishes his tea. "I told you hiashi-sama that he would prove to be more stubborn than a mule."

Hiashi relaxes his shoulders as he stares at an open window in the tea room. "Hai, I should have expected it. After all, uchiha men have always been known to be in denial of what they truly feel. I suppose sasuke was no exception."

Neji stares at the empty spot the uchiha once held and said. "We won't push the issue of the ichimaru boy anymore with sasuke. We've had five years of peace since the note was given, I'm sure the next two will be the same. We should just make sure to train matoko as much as we can with the gentle fist and byakugan." 

Hiashi nods slowly as he finally grabs the tea turned cold from the long time waiting. The old hyuga head stares down at the reflection of the green tea and smiles. A memory of his granddaughter coming to mind. 

"I'll become really strong just for you grandpa! Just you see!" 

"I'm sure she won't need our help in the end neji, we've trained her well. An uchiha to be proud of wouldn't you say neji?"

A small smile falls on neji's face. "Hai, she's a strong one...like her father and mother. Though her father, doesn't seem to want to see it."

Both hyugas nod as they sit quietly in the tea room, contemplating on the days events.

Sasuke mumbles incoherent words to himself as he crumples and straightens the note out again and again. His feet shuffle against the dry dirt, and his eyes are formed into a scowl. He keeps repeating the same words spoken to him by neji and hiashi in his head over and over again. The uchiha tries to convince himself that they spoke lies to him. He didn't need to train matoko, the byakugan alone was enough. She had her strength, hikaru was the one he needed to focus on, right? Sasuke lets out an agitated grunt as he turns down a street that leads to his home. He wasn't afraid of losing her, matoko was his little girl, that was how she would remain for as long as he could. He wasn't in denial, he wasn't. 

Sasuke looks up from his thoughts to hear loud laughters of joy coming from outside his home. The uchiha smiles as he sees his three children throwing water balloons at each other. His wife is sitting down next to his daughter, who is drenched from head to toe, but smiling nonetheless. Hikaru and yuki are the first to notice him as he walks up. Both his boys run up to him and try to throw a water balloon at him, sasuke smirks and catches them in his hand. He throws them at the two boys getting them even more wet. 

"No fair tou-san! You gotta give us lower ninja ranks a break! We deserve a free shot!" hikaru pouts when his father merely ruffles his wet hair. 

"Yea to-to! No fair, no fair!" yuki laughs a sasuke ruffles his hair too.

"Sorry boys, but as your father I get the right to get my sons as wet as I want."

"All right you two leave your father alone and get inside to dry off." hinata smiles at her two sons as she goes to hug sasuke. "As for you, stop enraging our sons, they're already too much like you as it is."

Sasuke shrugs and kisses hinata's forehead. "Forgive me for my horrible gene pool, love. It was an accident." 

"Hai Hai." was all hinata replied before being pulled inside by yuki and hikaru to help them get dried off. 

Sasuke looks over at his daughter, who looks at him and gives him a small smile before standing up.

"I'm going inside tou-san."

Sasuke frowns as matoko tries to pass him to enter the house, her posture rigid and fearful. Sasuke gently grabs her head and pats it lovingly. "I'm glad you had fun today matoko. You should smile more... it suits you better...love." the uchiha places a small delicate kiss on his daughter's forehead before letting her go inside. 

"...Arigato...tou-san..." matoko answered emptily and with a slight tone of sadness. And that was all she said. 

'You're afraid uchiha, afraid that-'

"That she won't need me anymore..." Sasuke says to himself as he enters his home.

* * *

**End of Ch. 11 Part One. **


	14. Ch 11 Part two: Oneshot 1

**Well, I updated. I'm going to be honest with all of you. I lost all inspiration for this story. I had to rewrite this simple one-shot three times before I found it half decent. I know that a story isn't worth writing anymore if you actually have to find effort in order to finish a chapter. **

**A story is supposed to be enjoyable to both sides. And for me the enjoyment has left. Will I abandon TAT? Most likely. I don't want to I really don't but my muses have gone completely dry on me, and I see no point in continuing it. **

**I will try to finish the one-shots I was planning to make for part two and three of chapter eleven, after that, only god know my friends. **

**I appreciate all the support you have all given me, and as disappointed as I know all of you will be with me, I can't do much about it. I apologize now for my incompetence in completing this story. **

**Let's hope I regain my joy in writing so I can continue with TAT, because I truly did love writing it. **

**This one-shot is based on thirteen year old Matoko's POV. I'm pretty sure this was to serve the growing gap between her and Sasuke's father-daughter relationship. -shrugs- **

**You don't have to review if you don't want to. I probably don't deserve it after making you all wait for over a month, and get this crap as your prize. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, all children belong to me. **

* * *

This wasn't how I wanted it to be. Actually, to be honest, even I didn't know how this was supposed to be.

See, it all started yesterday afternoon. Rei-chan, Renji-kun, and me were finally done with our 'daily' training routine, as Shikamaru-sensei called it, and were allowed to go home. Rei-chan tried to convince me and Renji-kun to perform...err, leaps of youth around the forest. We obviously said we were tired, and that she could do it on her own.

That's where problems started to come up. She agreed sullenly and left me and Renji-kun alone to go see if her father wanted to join her instead. I never saw Renji-kun change face colors so quickly.

He and I began to walk back towards Konoha, where we'd eventually part ways.

Now, I probably should have known something was going on with Renji-kun when I saw his usually pale face grow five shades of red in a matter of seconds. But I was too busy thinking of a way for me not to have to go home.

I was having problems there, kinda still am, but that's not what my story is about so let's move on.

I think we walked for another five minutes in silence, before Renji-kun grabbed my wrist and turned to look at some wall of a building.

I remember asking him. "Ne, what is it Renji-kun?"

He flinched and then turned to look at me. His face was still red, though I still don't know why. He coughed twice before he actually managed to say what he wanted to say. "Umm, wanna go eat some...ramen with m-me Matoko-chan?"

I remember this part the most cause it was kinda cute seeing him all embarrassed and flustered. His eyes were shining with some emotion I really couldn't read, not even with my Hyuuga eyes. I was happy though, he had given me the opportunity I really wanted. To not have to go home. So I nodded happily and began to drag him over to Ichiruka's.

Ayame-chan said that Renji looked like the happiest blonde headed, strawberry faced boy she had ever seen. Though, I don't know why...maybe he saw a cute girl.

Anyways though, when he and I sat down to order, I felt this really familiar and dark presence coming from outside. The sun was already going down, so I thought it was just my head making shadows look evil again. I shrugged and went back to the ramen. I have to admit now, I loved being Renji-kun. He made everything fun to do, and always made me laugh.

Last night was no exception. Kaa-san always said that Renji-kun had a crush on me, but I never saw anything like that from him. I mean, he never looked directly at me, his cheeks were always red, and he kept stuttering whenever I leaned over to hear him better. Yep, Kaa-san is definitely wrong. How could my best friend have a crush on me if he can't look at me half the time? I still giggle whenever my mother tells me this.

As I was saying, he and I spent our time talking about our past missions and if we were going to get any C or B class anytime soon. I should have been more attentive about our outside surroundings. Cause then maybe he and I wouldn't have gotten into umm, the situation we got in.

You can't blame me though! I was tired and Renji-kun's blue eyes seemed so happy after being so depressed lately that I didn't want my instincts ruining it for him. So I let that bad feeling in my gut go for Renji-kun, there end of story.

Now, there are a lot of versions of what happened next going through both my house and the Uzumaki household. But since Tou-san's too angry to tell his, kaa-san has him on twenty-four hour house arrest, and Uncle Naruto is too busy recovering from a kick to the head...twice, I'll tell my version.

Renji-kun and I got our orders and we began to eat. I was kinda disturbed to sit next to Renji-kun though, I mean who eats a large bowl of ramen by himself in less than three mintues? Yea, it was an experience I'll never get used to seeing, no matter how many times I eat out with Renji-kun.

Renji-kun heard the rustle outside first and turned around with a mouthful of ramen to see if it was someone coming in. He and I were hoping Uncle Naruto would come by and eat ramen with us. I always love hearing Uncle Naruto tell embarrassing stories about Renji-kun's baby years. It made Renji-kun turn the brightest red!

I turned around too, and spotted some movement outside that didn't look like normal walking. My clear eyes met Renji-kun's blue eyes and we both nodded gravely. I jumped off the stool quietly and walked to one end of the small restaurant and Renji-kun walked over to the other.

We each grabbed a kunai from our training gear and waited patiently for anymore unusual movements coming from outside. I remember Ayame-chan and her father also watching anxiously from the counter. I looked over at Renji-kun and nodded, he nodded too and we both jumped outside.

Okay, you'd expect some animals having a tug of war with a scrap of meat, two women fighting over a man they proclaimed theirs, a pack of drunks attacking an innocent civilian, anything but what Renji-kun and I found.

Our fathers fighting each other like a bunch of five-year olds. I remember Renji-kun's shocked and disbelieving stare. I'm pretty sure mine was just as shocked and disbelieving. I dropped my kunai on the ground and watched my Tou-san grab a fistful of Uncle Naruto's hair and pull on it...HARD. Renji dropped his as soon as he saw Uncle Naruto aim his foot for my Tou-san's...well special place.

We both turned to look at each other for a second before running over to them and separating them before they actually ended up killing each other.

The moment my arms made contact with Tou-san's, he grabbed me violently and pressed me hard against his chest. I could hardly breathe and the smell of sweat and dirt wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing in the world.

I could barely manage to see Renji-kun help Uncle Naruto back up to his feet. Uncle Naruto's face was covered in dust and he had a pretty beat up lip and his left cheek looked purple. I turned to look at Tou-san and noticed that he wasn't in much better shape either. His bottom lip was busted and dried blood was already forming. His Sharingan was still activated and his left eye was half closed from being swollen.

Both of them were breathing pretty hard, which convinced both Renji-kun and me that they had been fighting for awhile. I pushed myself off of my Tou-san's chest and looked at him worriedly. I was about to ask what happened, but Tou-san answered for me.

"You better teach that son of yours to keep away from my daughter! They may be teammates, but outside of their missions and little training sessions they shouldn't be near each other you dobe!"

I think the last part annoyed Uncle Naruto immensely, because I could hear a growl from behind me. Tou-san was still holding onto me.

"You teme! Why don't you stop being an over-protective prick and let your TEENAGE daughter make her own damn decisions! She isn't some little robot you can fucking program to follow your every little pathetic rule Sasuke!"

Tou-san's hold on me tightened as Uncle Naruto spoke, but he was right damn it! I was and still am a teenager! I can have some choices in my life now can't I?

"Shut the hell up dobe! I'm being over-protective because if your nearly identical son over there is anything like you, my daughter's dignity is in danger and I refuse to let an Uzumaki near an Uchiha! And I know she's a teenager, she can do many things on her own but boys are absolutely out of the question!"

My anger was flaring by this point. Tou-san never seemed to care about anything I did when it came to ninja skills, but the moment he hears about a boy near me he acts like I'm the most important person in the world. I was getting sick of his mixed signals.

"They were just having some ramen you dumbass! How the hell is that 'losing her dignity' Sasuke! You're just over-reacting again..."

I didn't let Uncle Naruto finish, because I had punched Tou-san right in the chest. Which I'm pretty sure caused the air to be knocked out of him because his hold on me loosened enough for me to get away.

I was crying. Yes crying out of pure anger and disappointment at my father's actions. I stared down at him as he touched the spot where I punched him. I knew he was angry as well because his Sharingan was rotating when he met my activated Byakugan.

I remember the air being tense the entire time Tou-san and I were staring at each other. I could hear the rustling of robes from Renji-kun helping Uncle Naruto to his feet. And I could hear his raggedy breathing. I felt so terrible, and I know Renji-kun did too.

Our fathers fought a serious nin on nin battle over the both of us simply getting a bowl of ramen for dinner. Then it hit me, Tou-san must have been looking for me when I didn't show up for dinner, and must have met Uncle Naruto on the way towards Ichiruka's.

My teeth gritted together in annoyance. My Tou-san was becoming more insufferable to me by the day.

"Stop it Tou-san! You're acting like an immature child!"

I heard a couple of gasps coming from the shop and from Uncle Naruto and Renji-kun. But I couldn't stop, not when Tou-san was there looking at me like I was a disappointment, when it was clearly the other way around.

"Renji-kun and me were just here for some ramen! He asked me after training cause I was hungry and so was he. That's all! This wasn't some date or a place for us to talk all lovey-dovey!"

His Sharingan had stopped rotating and Tou-san soon deactivated it. I followed suit with my Byakugan. The tension was still there, and Tou-san's dark onyx eyes bore into me to see if I was lying.

He knew that I wasn't.

"Why didn't you come home for dinner? There is food there for you to eat, you didn't need to go with Renji, let alone without my specific permission."

I got more angry. He was treating me like a little girl and blaming it on Renji-kun all in one sentence. I turned to look at Renji-kun and saw his sad look as he held onto his Tou-san's arm to support him.

"Renji-kun did nothing wrong Tou-san! Please stop blaming him, and me! It was just ramen Tou-san."

"Enough, I don't care who's fault it was or wasn't! You shouldn't have gone with him in the first place. Your mother and brothers got worried something had had happened to you."

"But..."

"Uchiha Matoko Do Not interrupt me again..."

"Hai...Tou-san."

Tou-san didn't scare me anymore, but Uncle Naruto was still there and I didn't want to scream in front of him. I think he knew what was coming though, because he coughed and nudged Renji-kun to begin walking back to their house.

I waved good-bye to them. "Bye Renji-kun, Uncle Naruto."

Both of them just turned and gave me a wide grin and kept walking. As soon as they turned the corner I let my true feelings show.

"You are such a jerk...Tou-san."

I know I hurt him deeply when I said that...I could see it in his eyes when he stared down at me with shock, but there was no stopping what I was doing.

"You hurt Uncle Naruto really badly, and you hurt Renji-kun's feelings too! He looks up to you as a strong Shinobi and you humiliate him like that Tou-san! He was doing nothing wrong! He was just trying to be a good best friend and buying me some ramen!"

I was breathing deeply by this point and I remember the tears falling down my cheeks and mixing with the ground below. My Tou-san remained silent.

"This is why I didn't show up for dinner today Tou-san! You! It's always you! You make me hate coming home cause I don't want to meet your judging gaze telling me what I did wrong today and never what I did right! I hate coming home cause you never smile at me anymore! All you do is smile at nii-san..."

I ran off after that. I don't remember if Tou-san followed after me or came home later. I don't remember much after that actually. I just remember entering my home running upstairs and locking myself into my room. I didn't even let Kaa-san enter or nii-san...or Yuki-chan...and most definitely not Tou-san.

And that's what happened. Kaa-san got mad at Tou-san after she heard the whole story and now keeps and eye on him at all times. Well as best as she can. Uncle Naruto looks at me with sadness though, like he knows something I don't.

I'm supposed to meet with my team today for another mission. I'm actually looking forward to it. My teammates Rei-chan and Renji-kun always make me happy. I know they'll do it again.

I'm not in speaking terms with Tou-san right now. I know that worries mother and Hikaru-niisan, but I really just can't talk to him right now.

I'm feeling guilty though if it serves to ease Kaa-san's worry.

I'm feeling guilty now. I just passed the living room and saw Tou-san just sitting there, staring at nothing. A wrinkled letter in his hand.

I return and stand in front of him. My eyes are holding back more tears. "I'll...see you later...Tou-san."

His eyes are looking at me and he simply nods. I walk out and leave him alone.

I'm placing my pack on me and I leave our home.

You know I can't help thinking that maybe...Tou-san and I are...destroying each other...maybe.

* * *

**I will try to continue the next one-shot within 48 hours. Thank you for at least reading.**

**End.**


	15. Ch 11 Part Two: Oneshot 2

**I managed to make another part. And yes, that is truly an accomplishment on my part since I was still in self-doubt mode after I wrote the last one-shot. I even found the notes I kept where I wrote down what I was planning to do for this story! -dances-**

**A bit of advice though...Never make your keep-at-school English journal the notebook where you kept all the info on a story you're writing. Trust me...not one of Tulip-chan's brightest ideas. **

**Anyway, since I found my lost notebook, I've committed myself to finishing this story. Hopefully before the year's out. Since I'm entering my senior year in high school and therefore will be more busy than usual. Wish me luck my friends.**

**Onto the one-shot though. This is a simple spar between Matoko and Hikaru, that goes horribly wrong as it progresses. Now, Sasuke is a bit bipolar because he's indecisive on what he should do, and if what he's currently doing with his two twins is the right way to go. -shrugs- Who knows though, I most certainly do. :P**

**There's four more one-shots to go before I start the epic Matoko leaves Konoha arc...thing...which by the way I've decided will be a separate story since a lovely reviewer reminded me of a certain Uchiha that Tulip-chan has been neglecting. Yes, Ichimaru Uchiha. Also Said reviewer has brought up a very good point over the Renji/Matoko pairing. I'll remind you all now...I have not decided who she will be with at the end of this on-and-off story of mine. So who knows, perhaps Ichimaru still has a chance to befriend Matoko. **

**Enough for now I suppose. Thanks for reading the writer's overly long AN. lol**

**Disclaimer:Naruto belongs to Kishimoto who has confused Tulip-chan to no end. All children belong to me. **

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A clear September day was the welcoming sight Matoko Uchiha received as she walked out of her main house and into the Uchiha gardens. Her opaque eyes watched with peace and tranquility the sight of small birds and late blooming flowers covering the yard.

She particularly enjoyed this morning since today was her break from missions with her genin team. Apparently Shikamaru-sensei was expecting another A-class mission he couldn't say no to. Though she would miss seeing Rei-chan and Renji-kun a day at home actually seemed good for her.

There was a bounce to her steps as she walked towards the kitchen, where she can already smell her mother's delicious cooking. She was wearing her training clothes and her hair was tied back into a loose bun. The Hyuga household was even beginning to say that she truly looked like her mother in her young years.

Matoko's smile widened when she heard her beloved Yuki-chan's voice ringing out through the kitchen. He was was always the excited one in the morning. She popped her head in and waved at the two people in the kitchen.

"Ohayo, Kaa-san!" she chirped happily as her brother tackled her with an immense hug.

Her eyes still glued to the stove, Hinata smiled warmly and replied. "Ohayo, Matoko. Sit down, you and Yuki-chan can get your breakfasts first."

Matoko nodded, and walked towards the table, a four year old baby brother completely attached to her right leg. It took five minutes but the young teenage Uchiha managed to remove her brother and place him next to her on the dining table.

"Ne ne ne ne, guess what Nee-nee?!" Yuki's dark and innocent eyes sparkle with excitement as he speaks.

Matoko accepts the plates of food her mother hands her and smiles at her little brother. "What Yuki-chan?"

"To-to said that if I'm super good all this year I get to enter the academy next year and finally learn to be a ninja like you and Aniki." Yuki's legs kicked back and forth as he was handed his food by Matoko.

She smiled sadly and nodded at him. "That's good to hear Yuki-chan...tou-san does need more Sharingan users to train..."

Too young to understand the sad undertone of his sister's voice Yuki just smiles more and begins to eat his food. Hinata, on the other hand, understood her daughter's bitterness the moment she spoke that sentence.

Tense minutes pass as Hinata hopes that when Sasuke and Hikaru come down to breakfast, Matoko won't let her mood ruin their normal family morning time.

Her feet slide over towards the table to place three more plates on the table. Hinata gives his daughter a smile and pats her head affectionately, Matoko smiles back and starts to eat. A set of running feet are heard by both Uchiha women, getting nearer to the kitchen.

Hinata giggles when Hikaru bursts through the door breathless and with a wide grin on his face. Yuki stops eating and runs over to attach himself to his brother's torso.

"Hey Aniki!"

Hikaru continues to grin and ruffles his little brother's hair. "Hey squirt! Ohayo kaa-san!"

Hinata hugs Hikaru and simultaneously grabs Yuki and sets him back down to the floor. "Ohayo Hikaru-kun, now both of you sit down and eat your breakfasts." She shakes her head when the two boys ran over to sit next to their sister.

Yuki beams as he watches his two older siblings eating. His four-year old mind glad that were eating breakfast together after a long time of both Hikaru and Matoko going off early to train.

Hikaru breaks apart his chopsticks and turns to look at his twin sister. "Hey Mato-chan since you're not going training today with your team you can tag along with me." Matoko gave her brother an annoyed side glance before continuing her meal. "Besides, Inuzuka is starting to annoy me with her constant flirtation attempts." Hikaru made a face as he spoke and shuddered at the thought of seeing his female teammate again.

"No thanks nii-san. I actually want to stay home today and just relax. I'm sure Yutsuko isn't that bad with her crush on you anyways." Matoko laughed when her brother once again made a face when she mentioned the Inuzuka.

"If only you knew Mato-chan." Hikaru pouted and grabbed his slice of fish forcefully.

The sliding door opened again and Sasuke made his silent entrance. His three children watched him curiously as he sluggishly made his way to the head of the table and sat down. His eyes had dark circles under them and his usually alert onyx eyes looked dull and sleep deprived.

Hinata placed a cup of hot tea beside his plate and stared at her husband worriedly. "Ne, Sasuke...are you all right? You don't look so good."

Sasuke let out a heavy sigh and slowly grabbed his tea. "Aa, I just had a rough morning. I was looking over some papers that needed my immediate attention."

Matoko stared at her father with a momentary sympathy but quickly returned to her breakfast. Hikaru was more worried and stared at his father begin to eat as he continued eating his meal as well.

Yuki grabbed a slice of his fish and placed it on his father's plate. "Here To-to you need all the energy you can get. You can have some of mine." Yuki giggled happily when Sasuke patted his head and thanked him for the extra fish.

Hinata smiled as well and sat down to eat her own meal. The family spend eight happy minutes in quiet peace, simply enjoying each others presence.

Of course, it wasn't meant to last long.

Matoko finished her meal first and rose from the table to place her plate in the sink. She was still in a good mood, planning to go to the gardens again and checking on the bed of flowers she had planted with her mother nearly a month ago. Her brother though, seemed to have other ideas.

"Mato-chan, I got about a hour before I have to meet Inuzuka and Aburame, why don't we have another friendly spar like we used to do?" Matoko's clear eyes looked at her brother annoyingly as he grinned at her and ran over to place his own plate in the sink.

"Ie, forgive me nii-san, but I just want to have a lazy day and go to my garden." She smiled sadly as his grinning face fell. "I promise I'll spar with you another day."

"Ie, I'm interested in the progress you've made with your team Matoko. Have the spar with your brother." Matoko glared at her father, and Hikaru looked on in curiosity. Sasuke had his eyes closed and chewed slowly on a piece of toast.

Hinata stared at her daughter's reaction and tugged at her husband's sleeve. "Ne, Sasuke, Matoko has had a tough week perhaps another time would be better. She could over-exert herself if she had a spar with Hikaru-kun."

"Kaa-san..." Hinata looked at her daughter. She was shaking and her fists were clenched tightly by her side. "It's okay, I won't disobey my father's wishes. If he wants the spar between nii-san and me to happen then I won't argue."

"Matoko..." Hinata mouthed out her daughter's name with sympathy. She then turned to look at Sasuke pleadingly to stop whatever he was thinking.

"Umm...tou-san, it's okay. If Mato-chan doesn't wanna do it I can just spar alone till I have to go meet up with my team." Hikaru wasn't liking the hidden staring contest his sister and father were doing to each other.

Sasuke finished his toast and opened his eyes to stare at Matoko with a glint in his eyes. "I want to see my daughter's strength. The strength I know she's been hiding from me for quite awhile."

Matoko's eyes widened. Her father was interested in her progress? Not her nii-san's? Hinata was also shocked and wondered why her husband was smiling so happily.

Yuki jumped down from his chair and grabbed his siblings hands, dragging them both towards the Uchiha dojo. Hikaru laughed while Matoko remained stunned at her father's words.

Hinata sighed and picked up the remaining plates and headed over to the sink to begin washing. Sasuke watched his wife with mild amusement. She was upset. He could tell.

"I wasn't lying to her Hinata. I'm truly interested in her abilities. Sparring with her brother would give her an opportunity to show me just that." His voice was steady and cautious. He wanted to make sure Hinata understood what he was saying.

She didn't say a word and kept washing the dishes. All Sasuke heard for an entire minute was the sound of dishes clashing together. He assumed she was still thinking of what to say and stood up to go to the dojo as well.

Sasuke yawned as he passed by her, but stopped his walking when Hinata spoke. "Watching her improve in her combat skills just so she can reach her brother in strength...is no way to show love for a daughter...Sasuke."

By the time Sasuke turned around completely to ask his wife what she meant, she was already out of the room. Every plate and glass washed and placed out to dry. He scratched the back of his head and grunted in agitation. He'd have to talk to her later.

As he neared the Uchiha dojo, the sounds of childish bickering and laughter could be heard. He smiled, he was anxious to see his two kids spar against each other. The noises seized when he entered the room. Yuki and Hikaru both smiled at him, but Matoko looked away. Sasuke frowned.

"Matoko..." He walked around to be in front of her. Her eyes refused to meet her father's and her face was stoic.

"Hai, tou-san?" her voice was soft and quiet. Her eyes closed off to him.

He grimaced at the familiar look she had of indifference, like he carried so long ago.

"Are you ready for the spar or do you need some time to prepare?" Sasuke had leaned down to look at her more properly, and his hand was gently placed on her soft head.

"Ie, I am ready whenever nii-san is." she replied with the same tone and she shook away her father's hand.

Hikaru and Yuki looked at each other. They had finally noticed the tension growing between their father and sister. The growing glares and the constant silences Matoko would give their father, becoming more evident in Hikaru's eyes.

The thirteen year old laughed off the tension and rubbed the back of his head as he walked up to Matoko and his father.

"Ne ne I'm ready if she is tou-san, so just tell us where you wanna see us start and we'll go there."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and stared at Matoko, who still did not look at him. He got up from his crouching position and walked over to Yuki.

The little boy took his father's hand and smiled. Sasuke returned the gesture, and pointed, with his free hand, at the middle of the dojo.

"There. You can have your spar in the middle and use the right end to your advantage as well. Yuki and I will be sitting here watching." Sasuke sat down on the wooden floor followed by Yuki who looked completely excited about the whole thing.

Matoko let out a small sigh and lifted herself off from the floor. She dusted off her pants and walked to the center of the dojo room. Her pearlescent eyes wandering over to her brother.

Hikaru stared at his father, his eyebrows furrowed together in deep thought. He was starting to question whether or not his father was really asking for this sibling spar just to see his sister's progress. Or if he had other intentions. After all, his father was a man of many secrets, who knows what his mind could be thinking.

Hikaru's onyx eyes snap over to his sister's when he hears her cough loudly. He frowns slightly. Her eyes looked bored, and her posture showed an absolute hate of being in the room. She was tapping her foot as well. Matoko didn't want to be here. Even after their father told them he wanted to see her skill.

"Nii-san, are we going to spar or not?" her tone still held amusement, but Hikaru could tell she was putting up an act for their brother and father.

Activating his Sharingan, Hikaru positions himself in an offense position and lets a small smirk fall in place. "Aa, forgive me for keeping you waiting Mato-chan."

A genuine smile appears on Matoko's face for the first time since breakfast as she activates her Byakugan and positions herself in the gentle fist stance. "You should really stop day-dreaming nii-san, father finds that a weakness."

Sasuke watches both his children, trying his best to ignore the clear insults his daughter was throwing at him. He grunts as he watches both his children tense as they prepare to launch their attacks. His own onyx eyes studying carefully each of their moves.

A small breeze enters through the entrance of the room and the two genin disappear from normal eye sight. Sasuke's head moves back and forth as he watches Hikaru throw stong taijutsu kicks and punches at his sister. He smiles as he watches his daughter block each one with complete perfection.

'She's stronger than last time. Looks like Hinata's old man and Neji are doing their job pretty well.'

The two reappear with a kunai in each of their hands. Matoko breathes in quickly, while Hikaru tries to take in steady breaths to feign no exhaustion.

Matoko smiles through her breathing. "You've gotten better in taijutsu nii-san. I'm impressed."

Hikaru nods and returns the smile. "Yea, but apparently I gotta train some more cause I haven't even made a scratch on you."

The young Uchiha girl straightens back up and wipes away some sweat that formed on her head. "Well the point nii-san is to make sure I don't let you scratch me up."

Hikaru grins and twirls around his kunai. "Aa, but it doesn't mean I can't try..."

Matoko's eyes widen as she sees her brother disappear and reappear in front of her, his kunai inches from her left shoulder. She scowls and jumps away, only to sense her brother's chakra right behind her. She twirls around to find a blurred image of her brother disappearing from her sight. She lets out a small growl and twirls in a complete circle to land back onto the floor. She lets out a squeak of surprise as she's grabbed by the leg and pushed down to the floor. She lands roughly on her back and lets out a gasp of pain.

From his vantage point, Sasuke frowns. She still lacks ability to fight someone with the equal speed of a Sharingan user. Hikaru was going to defeat her in this spar if she doesn't concentrate and read his moves carefully.

Matoko drags herself up and wipes off the small chunks of wood around her face. She staggers back to her feet and darts her Byakugan back and forth to try and detect her brother through chakra alone. She rubs her sore shoulder as she carefully studies the ceiling of the dojo. She could sense her brother, he was definitely somewhere up there.

She stiffens for a moment before making a half turn and blocking her brother's right kick with her kunai. She stares at her brother's smirking face with a scowl. He was enjoying winning that much was made obvious now by Matoko. She knew it. This whole friendly spar by her brother and father was just a way for her father to see her brother's Sharingan improvements and for Hikaru to boost his ego.

She smiled tiredly as she jumped away and faced her brother as he landed back on the floor to catch his breath.

She really never wanted the spar, she wanted to relax today, and think about nothing but her garden and what she was going to do with Rei-chan and Renji-kun the next day. That was all. She gave up on impressing her father, of surpassing her brother, of making them both smile because she was strong, a long...long time ago.

But if her brother wanted a spar, a real one-on-one spar with her. She clenched the kunai in her hand tightly. Then she'll give it to him, whether her father approves or not.

Matoko throws her kunai aside and cracks her knuckles. Both Sasuke and Hikaru raised their eyebrows at her sudden change in behavior. She walks slowly over to face her brother up front and smiles sweetly at him. Hikaru tilts his head in utter confusion and asks.

"Ne, what's up Mato-chan?"

Matoko's Byakugan remains activated as she shrugs at her brother. "Isn't it obvious nii-san? It's you."

The Uchiha heir doesn't even get a chance to retort as his chin is met with a high kick from his sister and his back makes contact with the ceiling.

His Sharingan eyes open wide to spot his sister's next move, but he instead is forced to block as his sister suddenly appears next to him for another high kick to his face. Hikaru pushes away the leg and aims for another double kick to her torso to knock her off balance. Hikaru is surprised again as his sister's fist makes contact with his gut and sends him back down to the floor.

Sasuke watches the change of positions with an eerie sense of dread. His fists clench and unclench as he watches his son miss and block attack after attack by Matoko. Yuki watches his father with a worried look. Sasuke pats his head absentmindedly and returns to the spar. His teeth clench as Hikaru lands roughly on the floor.

'She's been holding back, that's good. It means she's improved immensely. But the way she's acting now with this spar...she's fighting angrily.'

Sasuke stares at his daughter as she lands back down next her fallen brother.

Hikaru sits up and rubs his back. A line of blood sliding down his mouth. His Sharingan eyes look up to stare at the fierce yet hollow eyes of his sister. He gulps.

"Gomen ne...Hikaru-niisan..." Matoko speaks softly to him as she closes her eyes in a resigned fashion and stiffens in her jyuuken style.

A second later and Hikaru finds himself trying desperately to block his sister's chakra blows. Each one becoming faster and more powerful by the second. His Sharingan alone is barely enough to just dodge her blows, but his eyes widen as he sees one of her feet make contact with his left side and he's thrown against the wall.

Hikaru shakes his head rapidly to stop the feeling of dizziness he gained from the blow and quickly stands back up. He frowns at his sister who remains in the same spot, her breathing coming in a more rapid pace. He wipes off the sweat on his forehead and reappears in front of her again. He tries to hide his left arm and grimaces as he realizes there's no feeling in his left arm. Matoko has shut down his chakra points.

Matoko watches her brother's chakra system carefully and decides he's still capable of performing his highly deadly fire jutsus. She closes her eyes to concentrate again. 'I won't let him throw those fire attacks at me...not this time.'

"...Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou."

Sasuke stands from his spot across the spar and activates his Sharingan. His lips and hands tremble as he sees the immense chakra coming from his daughter's hands. 'Amazing...she's learned the Hyuuga's sixty-four palm technique so quickly?' His amazement is soon changed to disbelief as he watches Matoko aim her hands at Hikaru's upper torso. 'She...isn't planning...to actually use it in a spar is she??'

Matoko runs forward at her brother who watches in horror as her glowing hands come nearer and nearer to his body. His breathing increases and his eyes dart from one side to the other. 'Mato-chan is serious about this spar...I gotta get away and forfeit before one of us gets seriously hurt...one of us being mostly me...'

Matoko lets out a scream as a sign of initiating her attack. Sasuke prepares to jump in between his two children but is surprised again to find his wife, Hinata, blocking Matoko's attack with her own Byakugan.

Both Matoko and Hikaru look at their mother in astonishment. Hinata has avoided getting involved in any of their spars, thinking it was better for Sasuke to teach them. Matoko looks down at her hands which are being tightly held by her mother. Hinata's own eyes look angry as she forces Matoko's attack back.

"Enough you two. The spar is over...it's a tie." Her voice though still soft was demanding as both her children nod and sigh, deactivating their Kekkei Genkai.

Matoko gently pushes away her mother's hands and looks over at her brother. Her pearlescent eyes widen in shock. Hikaru has obvious red marks on his left and right arm from her previous attack. But as he lifts his shirt to check for more damage, she sees exactly what she's done. His body is covered with bruises from her punches and kicks. She looks down at herself. Just a scratch here and a bruise there nothing bad...just how a body should look after a normal spar.

She takes a step back as her father walks over and bends down to look at Hikaru's injury. Hinata stares at her daughter worriedly for a moment and then turns to heal her son of the injuries.

Matoko twists her hands in a nervous habit as she sees the green glow coming from her mother surround her brother's torso and begin to heal. She was scared, but not for her brother. She knew Hikaru would be fine, he was a strong boy and he proved it today in their spar. He held back because he knew it was a spar...nothing more.

She was scared for something entirely different.

She wanted to apologize...really. But she wasn't sorry for what she did. Not one bit. All those marks and bruises, she feels her brother deserves for the taunts he's given her since they became Genin.

And that scares her. Why isn't she sorry? Why doesn't she want to apologize for something she clearly did wrong?

Sasuke turns around and stares at Matoko. Her indigo bangs hiding her expression from him, and her hands clasping each other tightly. He gives her a look of sympathy as well. Matoko wasn't the type for violence. She went a little too far with the spar that was all, but she looked like she did the worst mistake in the world. His Sharingan long since deactivated, Sasuke stands up and walks over to his daughter. He smiles. He was proud of her that much was certain. She definitely didn't need his training, she proved it very clearly today.

As he nears his daughter though, his smile vanishes. Matoko is trembling and as he inches closer she seems to want to walk back further.

"Matoko..."

"No."

He scowls as he wonders what she meant by no.

"Matoko..."

"I said NO!!"

She bounds off towards the back of the compound, leaving a stunned family in her wake.

Yuki runs towards his mother and clings to her skirt. "Mama...why is nee-nee mad? Why is she screaming like that?"

Hinata rubs the back of her youngest son's head and frowns as she looks up at Sasuke. Her opaque eyes make contact with her husband's onyx ones. The man looks at her with a stoic stare that he's used many times before. His eyes though tell her he's tired, confused, and lost on what to do about Matoko.

He finally nods and walks over to pick up Yuki and place him on his shoulder. "Go after her...please."

Hinata smiles wearily and speeds off towards the direction Matoko took off in. Sasuke lets out another sigh and rubs the back of his head. Yuki clings to his shirt tightly and repeats to him what he asked his mother second earlier.

"Don't worry squirt. Your sister's fine, she's just a little upset over the spar that's all. Now just close your eyes to stop your tears. Matoko wouldn't want to see you crying over her right?"

Yuki nods slowly against his father's neck and closes his eyes. He's soon asleep.

Hikaru remained quiet the entire time, staring at the floor. His onyx eyes shine with a sign of tiredness too old for his age.

A breeze enters the dojo. The wood broken in the spar tumbling over from the gentle wind. The room is quiet except for the sounds of their breathing.

"Tou-san?"

Sasuke turns to look at his son. Hikaru sighs and grabs a sliver of wood on the floor.

"It's my fault...isn't it? I'm the reason...Mato-chan has been acting this way..."

The breeze re-enters the dojo and gently blows Sasuke's and Hikaru's dark hair. Sasuke stares at his son for another moment and then his eyes return to looking outside. Hikaru clenches his fists and throws the piece of wood across the smooth wooden floor.

"It's my fault right?! She's always trying to get stronger so she can make you and kaa-san proud...but I always keep taking it away from her. I...I...I'm the one t-that's making her be this way..."

Hikaru covers his head with his arms and bends his knees up. A weak sob leaves his lips and he lets his body tremble.

"I made my sister...not be the sister I know anymore...Mato-chan..." His voice quivers as he speaks and the pain in the tone of his voice bothers Sasuke to no end.

Yuki still in his arms he bends down and pats Hikaru's head softly. His own expression twisted into pain and self-disgust.

"Enough Hikaru. Stop putting yourself down like you're some sick animal. You...did nothing wrong. Matoko will always love you, you are her brother..."

Sasuke sighs and looks out through the gaping hole by the left end of the dojo.

"This...entire thing...everything she's going through...is my burden to bear..."

Hikaru looks up surprised at his father's words, but Sasuke is no longer there.

"T-Tou-san..." his voice echoes quietly around the empty room.

In the back end of the Uchiha compound, a small figure sits silently among a large grove of wild flowers. All the petals softly passing by her, almost in a sign of comfort towards the crying girl.

A woman with tears in her own opaque eyes stares at her daughter in a desperate need to go over to her and embrace her.

Something holds her back. Maybe it's the fact that...she knows...there's not much she could do if her daughter keeps repeating the same words to her whenever she gets too close...

"It's okay momma...j-just let me c-cry... and I-I'll be fine. P-Promise."

Hinata frowns because somehow she knows that if she doesn't do something about this situation soon, she won't be fine. No...she won't.

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**And finished. **

**Next one-shot: Sasuke v. Hinata, A parental battle of words.**

**End.**


	16. Ch 11 Part Two: Oneshot 3

**Short AN, not really in the mood to talk actually. Ch. 11 part two one-shot 3. Angst, love, confusion, and among other things you will find in this chapter. The Sasuke Hinata fight in other words. Call this one-shot the false sense of hope, because this peacefulness won't last long. **

**Next one shot will have Ichimaru Uchiha in it. Though I can't remember right on the top of my head his involvement in it, but it is important. I suppose you could consider it a slight IchiMato, but pairings are the last thing on my mind right now. **

**I have no idea when the next one-shot will come out, but it will come out eventually. :) Oh, and three more chapters to go before TAT ends and I continue it with another story...which still has no name. That's it I suppose. Have a good one...yatta yatta ...and all that good stuff.**

**Love and Peace! :) Mostly to my reviewers though (all my reviewers), everyone else who has an account...bless your heart...**

**Disclaimer: Kishimoto owns Naruto, I own the little brats. :) **

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It was so quiet. She had almost forgotten how it felt. This peaceful quiet, that somehow, felt fake.

The Hyuga household felt the same way back when she used to live there. Hinata released a heavy sigh and continued chopping up the tomatoes she bought the day before.

She felt so uneasy, barely able to make breakfast for her family this morning. It's been nearly two weeks since the incident in the dojo, and things have remained...unresolved. At least in her eyes they have. Another reason why she couldn't seem to concentrate on anything all day. Her eyelids droop in sadness.

Her daughter had ignored her father the entire time during breakfast this morning. She would smile at her younger brother, and converse with her older brother, but not a word from her lips was ever directed at Sasuke.

Hinata's hand stopped its mechanical chopping of the tomatoes and her eyes shined with a deep emotion. Sasuke. He was being stubborn and prideful again. His eyes remained closed the entire time. His expression that of a man deep in thought who shouldn't be bothered. He was hurt though.

She could tell. Her hand slowly began chopping the tomatoes again. The way his eyebrow twitched when Matoko said her goodbyes and her tone got cold when she said goodbye to him. How his mouth wanted to frown, but simply stayed in place. Or how his eyes seemed to sadden as he watched Matoko leave the kitchen and walk towards the exit of their home.

What was wrong with him? Why was the thought of simply training his daughter making him react so coldly to Matoko, then acting as if he didn't know why Matoko was becoming distant towards him. She laid the kitchen knife gently on the counter and let her stiff shoulders relax.

Her mind began to drift to two weeks ago. Her daughter had cried the entire day. She didn't return from the garden till long past dinner time. She could still remember her somber and defeated look. The way Matoko's red rimmed eyes seemed like she was crying blood. Her legs shuffling around like they were made of the wettest clay. Her pearlescent eyes dimmed with dark emotions.

When she had spotted her, Matoko simply walked over to her, and hugged her waist tightly. Her tears didn't come but the dry sobs replaced them. Hinata could remember feeling a bitter happiness. Matoko had not hugged her with such ferocity since she turned ten. Now thirteen, she clung to her like a lost puppy, a hurt puppy. Hinata remembered it all. Matoko sobbing over her father, for not loving her the way she wanted him to. She fell asleep in her arms, and apologized to Hikaru the next morning as they were both heading out to meet their genin teams. He had grinned and ruffled up Matoko's hair in an affectionate gesture. "Don't worry about it Mato-chan! The past's the past."

Hinata plopped herself on the kitchen chair as she recalled her son's reaction to dojo incident. He was upset as well, but at himself. She could tell. After all she was his mother. He was blaming himself for the way Matoko reacted during their spar. She even knew that the attempts Sasuke made to convince their son it wasn't his fault went unheard. Both her twins were reacting to the spar. One felt defeated and lost on how to handle life with a father that seemed to think her invisible. And the other feeling just as lost, as to why his father and sister were so hostile towards each other and the both of them making him carry the guilt of the entire thing.

Matoko was growing more and more distant from the both of them. Her smiles seeming to grow more rare by the day. She only smiled for her and Yuki, and occasionally Hikaru. Matoko was treating Sasuke the same way she had treated her own father. Like the leader of a strong clan. She gave him respect, but her attempts to show him affection, it seemed, was a hopeless cause in her daughter's eyes. Hinata patted her wrinkled apron. Yes, she had treated her father the same way. Lord Hiashi, a man to respect, but never to love. It was too hurtful to even try.

"Mama?"

Hinata looked up to see her youngest son rub his eyes and smile at her with a sleepy look.

"Did you just wake up sweetie?"

He nodded and walked slowly to her to lay his head on her lap. "Can I go play outside mama? I already took my nap just like you said."

Hinata petted his soft black hair and nodded. "Of course you can Yuki. Just be careful okay?"

He quickly straightened up and beamed at her excitingly before bouncing off towards the gardens to play in his own little world.

Hinata sighed again as she returned to her troubled thoughts. What was she going to do? She was tired of being the helpless wife who watched her family slowly crumble away. She was still a Hyuga by blood, she had pride of her own. And to watch her own daughter and husband grow to hate each other was completely unacceptable. She refused to believe her children would follow the path she and Sasuke took years before.

The distant sound of a door being opened and closed caught her attention. She looked down to finally notice her small fists tightly clenching her apron. She made a pathetic smile and released her hands hold on the apron.

Heavy steps of a tall and thick person walking towards the kitchen made her realize that Sasuke was home. Her opaque eyes drifted over to the neglected half cut tomatoes on the kitchen table. She still hasn't started dinner.

"To-to!" and a small "che" followed by a grunt made Hinata smiled slightly. Looks like Yuki was happy his father was home early.

Minutes later a large shadow covered the entrance of the kitchen. Hinata still sitting on the chair, her eyes still holding it's distant look.

"Hinata?"

She heard his deep yet gentle voice. She could hear the slight tone of worry underneath it. But her thoughts weren't in that room with her husband. They were on other things.

"Hmm?"

He was kneeling down in front of her before she knew it. His dark eyes staring at her hard. His gaze studying her and trying to read into her troubled thoughts.

"Something is troubling you." He stated quietly, knowing not questioning it.

She smiled and patted the large calloused hand of her husband that placed itself on her lap.

"No. I just let my thoughts control over my usual actions that's all. I was having a thinking day." she tried to make her voice sound humorous, her crooked smile thought proved it's falsehood.

"You haven't been acting yourself since this morning. Even the twins noticed it." his monotonous voice began to deteriorate as worry was taking its place. His hand on her lap tightened around her own petite hand. "Hinata..."

"Why?" she spoke softly.

His eyes widened at the sudden question. "Why what?"

"Why are you so blind to your own mistakes Sasuke?" her voice still remained quiet.

His brows formed a light scowl as his mouth frowned. "This is about me?"

"Answer the question Sasuke." Her angry tone surprised her as well as Sasuke.

He stood back on his feet intent on leaving the discussion as it was. His scowl still on his face. "You're upset and letting your emotions get the better of you Hinata. Calm down and then we'll talk."

He heard the chair squeak across the floor as Hinata stood up abruptly. Facing his back she shouted as quietly as she could. "Don't runaway from this Sasuke. You've done enough of that to last you a lifetime."

His left eye twitched as he nonchalantly turned around to face his angry wife. "Hinata..."

"Enough...Sasuke...enough." her tone almost pleading she pointed at the discarded chair by the dining table.

"What do you expect me to say Hinata?" he half smirked trying to throw her off on her own question.

Her gaze angered him even more. She was pitying him. "This is not the time to show off your Uchiha pride Sasuke. Your daughter is growing further and further away from you...and you're not doing a damn thing about it."

Sasuke grimaced. His shoulders growing tense, he knew where this was going now. He was expecting it, in a sense. "You're her mother, you know her more than I probably do. But she's my daughter too, let me handle our situation Hinata. You can't let it worry you like this, you know your condition."

"My heart's already in pain because of this Sasuke, and it has nothing to do with my heart condition." Her tone had turned cold and her rosy lips were tight in a firm frown.

The two stared at each other. Both with scowls that would scare off the fiercest of enemies.

"And what would you know about this situation over our daughter and me?" His smirk gone, Sasuke glared at his wife.

"Enough to know that if you don't accept you're doing something wrong this situation will only get worse." her angry tone had settled down but her eyes remained cold as she spoke to Sasuke.

"Hn." The man pouted slightly but sat down on the chair nearest him. With his arms crossed over on his chest he stated. "Fine, you've got my attention Hinata. Talk."

Her fists trembled in slight anger at the condescending approach her husband was taking this whole conversation with. "Sasuke, you're losing your daughter."

He growled and opened his mouth to retort, but Hinata didn't give him the chance.

"You don't even realize how much damage you're doing Sasuke. I thought you really could solve it on your own. Back when she was still in the academy, I accepted your decision to not train her with the Uchiha regimen you were giving Hikaru."

She turned away from Sasuke and placed her hands on the kitchen counter, a distraught look on her face. "But I made the mistake of agreeing with that. I never thought about how Matoko would be affected. She idolized you, you were her father with no flaws. The perfect man. Someone she thought would never neglect to leave her behind, to always stand by her side if she were to fall. I should have known that your decision would disprove everything she thought of you."

Though his face remained indifferent a tinge of sadness was seen in his charcoal eyes as he stared at the trembling form of his wife. "You seem to be blaming this on yourself more than telling me what I'm doing wrong...Hinata."

She bitterly laughs. "It is my fault too. For not stopping you when I had the chance." she abruptly turns to face him, her eyes wild with too many emotions to hold at once. "Sasuke please, I'm begging you. Talk to her! Tell her why you don't want to train her! She has every right to know why you seem to treat her as if she's the weaker one of our twins. Hikaru's training is important I understand, but leading her to believe she's merely going to be in her brother's shadow is something neither she nor Hikaru want."

Sasuke stares at Hinata and slams his fist on the table, her strong stance falters for a moment as her husband's Sharingan activates and slowly rotates. "Don't you think I know that Hinata! The decision not to train her was hard enough to make! I know how she would react and I took the risk. Telling her this late in the game would be pointless..." He sighs as the red in his eyes return to black. "besides she's too young, she wouldn't understand why I chose to deny her the training."

Hinata placed her hand on her chest right on the spot of her heart while breathing rapidly. Her fear being overcome by her growing anger she continues. "You absolute fool."

"What?!" Sasuke growls out.

"All she's ever wanted was to impress you! To make your eyes glow with pride at her skills just as they do when you train and watch Hikaru. Since a baby Matoko's been the one most attached to you Sasuke and you know it! The decision not to train her should have been discussed with her the moment she graduated the academy...we were both fools."

Sasuke grunts and turns away from his wife. He places his elbow on his knees and entwines both his hands under his chin. "Hinata. I'll agree we both made a mistake. And now it's costing me gravely. My own daughter is starting to despise me. I'm not blind Hinata, I know her cold looks and indifferent stares are growing more frequent by the day." A mockery of a smile forms on Sasuke's lips. "That's where our understanding ends. You don't even know why I decided not to train Matoko, don't lecture me on how to handle a situation that has long since been out of your reach. The consequences of my actions must be suffered by me only."

Sasuke didn't have a chance to continue as a loud sound of flesh meeting flesh entered his ears. Hinata had slapped him. His stunned face looked up to stare at the furious opaque eyes of his wife as she breathed out through her mouth in heavy gasps.

"Stop dealing with your stupidity on your own. You and I married each other not just out of love, but to help each other out when things got too difficult. And that also means helping each other realize when we do something wrong to each other or our children."

Sasuke growled as he rubbed the injured cheek. His expression dark he shouted. "Damn it woman, you're making this sound like a life-or-death situation!"

"Because it is Sasuke!" She shouted back just as loudly. "Sasuke...if you don't clear things up, if you keep letting things go down like they are, your daughter will follow the same path you took."

Hinata wasn't surprised to see her husband's stunned reaction to her words, or the way his body began to tremble. Her expression softened and the tone of anger in her voice lessened. "You're beginning to let your decision change your personality towards Matoko and Hikaru. You're becoming like your father, choosing one over the other. Letting one disappear and the other have all your attention."

Hinata rubbed her hands together nervously, an old habit returning. "You once told me, before the twins were born, that you were afraid of raising your children like your father raised you and Itachi. I told you that I would help you, I'd never let that happen to you. And for awhile, it worked. You were the sweetest father I've ever seen in my life." Her eyes trailed down to her trembling fingers. "This training, is ruining all of that though. You'll protect Matoko, but you'll lose her all the same."

"Shut up."

Hinata looked up in surprise at the quiet voice. Her eyes wide she asked nervously. "S-Sasuke?"

"You're talking as if you were there. Like you knew what happened to me all those years ago, but you know nothing. You and I didn't have a what would be called a charming life, but your situation was vastly different from mine Hinata. Don't assume because of our upbringing, you can tell me all of this. I hardly spoke about my past to you Hinata, and there was a reason for it. I wanted to forget it, to let it go and make it disappear into a far corner in my mind. And now you're over here telling me I'm repeating it with my daughter?"

The anger returned in Hinata's eyes as she stared with disbelief at her husband's words. "Yes, I am Sasuke, because you are! I know that I don't know much about your family's past, but I know enough to realize that trying to erase it is only making it harder for you to let it go!"

"Hinata..." The threatening tone of his voice hung in the air like a thick mist, but she continued.

"Please Sasuke, don't let this go too far! I know the last thing you want is to let the past repeat itself..."

"Hinata..." the same harsh voice, closer to her. His feet walking towards her in a slow pace.

"But denying the obvious will do you no good. I don't want our children to feel the same pain we did..."

"Stop it..." His voice right above hers, and his breathing blowing back the strands of her hair.

She shook her head back and forth violently. "No! I won't stop it! I'm tired of you acting as if nothing wrong is happening in our home! Like there's nothing wrong going on with you and Matoko..."

A gasp. Tears rolling down pale cheeks, one glowing red from a hard hand impacting it. Hinata turns her head around slowly, her cheek pounding from the dull pain. Sasuke had slapped her back.

His own breathing was erratic and his eyes red with his Sharingan. He looked as deadly as he did back in his youth.

Tears continue to roll down her cheeks as her husband begins to talk. Rage clearly having taken over his rational thought. "Shut up! Just stop talking! You know absolutely nothing! You're over here spewing out words of so-called wisdom to me, expecting me to agree and go fix it! There's nothing wrong that can be fixed with your nonsense Hinata! Your talk of repeating the past is a bunch of bull! You're reading too much into simple little squabbles! Matoko and Hikaru are fine, they're two amazing kids that will grow up to be great shinobi. But they're teens and they're easily swayed by their emotions. My decision over Matoko's training may have been wrong, I'll admit it now, but like I said before too much time has passed for me to change it! I'll patch things up with my daughter in time! So just shut up and stop talking all this worthless crap! They're all lies!"

His rant ended like that and he began to breath in deeply, letting his temper cool down. His eyes returned to his normal charcoal color and he looked up at his wife again. Looking at her really for the first time. His eyes went wide. The slap he had given her cheek had swollen in only three minutes, and he could see the purple bruise already forming. His face formed an anguish scowl, he had hit her too hard. He didn't even want to hit Hinata in the first place, but...but something in her voice...it drove him mad.

Perhaps because it sounded and spoke the same words his conscious spoke him in almost every night since the twins made genin.

Hinata's expression was blank, she stared at her husband with bottomless opaque eyes, and for some unknown reason to Sasuke, it made his stomach sick looking at her like that. Her fists were clenched tightly, and her slim body trembled very softly.

The tears continued to roll down her face as he tried to get near her. She flinched when his hand tried to touch her swollen cheek. His face fell as he straightened himself and put his trembling hand back down to his side. His charcoal eyes stared sadly back at his wife.

With trembling lips he spoke. "Hinata...I'm...sorry...I..."

"Monster." she quietly said, her expression still blank.

His eyes grew wide at the word as he tried to talk back. "W-What?"

"You're a monster. I was a fool to think a family could have changed that fact. You're heartless, a fool who refuses to see the truth, because he's afraid the pain may be more than he can take. You're heartless coward...who will lose his children because he is blind to the wrongs he is committing."

Her voice was even and soft, it sounded just like his Hinata. Only harsher, more empty, and bitter. He stared at her, she looked like a broken angel. With an injury he made on her cheek, the endless tears on her face and the hollow look in her eyes.

And all he could say to that was. "Hinata."

Her eyes narrowed, almost as she was looking at something disgusting. She left the kitchen. Her footsteps slow and lagging. She was hurt in more ways than one.

Sasuke collapsed on the chair behind him. He was truly an idiot, just like his wife said. He was doing it again. Pushing people that cared about him away. But this time he didn't know why, or at least which reason in his fogged up head it was. He banged his head on the hard wood table and let his own tears slip from his eyes.

The anguished look from before came back as he banged his fist over and over again on edge of the table. His dark hair looked even more disheveled as he laid there like a lost child.

"What the hell am I doing?"

His voice cracked as he tried to hold in a sob. "What the hell...am I doing...??"

--

Shadows danced around the kitchen wall of the Uchiha household as night surrounded the village. The crickets sang their tunes outside, and the quiet that always came with the night, brought back a lone Uchiha man to reality. Three empty sake bottles laid next to him on the kitchen table, and the cup laid empty in his hand. He could hear the laughter of two children, two boys. They're distant, probably in another part of the house, unaware of the tragic events that happened hours ago. His boys were home, probably with their mother. His eyes darken. She probably had to lie to them about the bruise on her cheek. The bruise he made. He was truly a monster

Sasuke drags his heavy head off the table and his red-rimmed eyes stare at the dark sky of the typical Konoha night. His face is blotched up from the tears that dried up a long time ago. How did it all end up this way? He arrived home like he always did, Yuki was playing outside. The twins were out training with their teams. A typical day in their lives. How did...how did he end up hurting his own wife? Why did he let his pride and anger get the best of him.

"Damn it." he whispered to himself. The alcohol did him no good. He still felt lousy and worthless.

He couldn't face them now. He felt like killing himself just staring at that bruise on his Hinata's cheek. To have to explain a lie to his children in front of her, when they both knew the truth, would be death itself. He won't stay in this house. He'll taint them with whatever the hell was causing him to be this way.

Stumbling to his feet, Sasuke makes his way towards the sliding doors to leave the house through the front entrance. A knock from the other side stops him for a moment. A downcast look takes over his face as he expects his wife on the other side.

"Hinata..." he manages to mumble out as he opens the sliding door.

"Papa...?" His eyes widened at the sweet sound of a small voice he hasn't heard call him papa in ages. His charcoal eyes look down to see his daughter stare at him with her bright pearlescent gaze. Her tough cold look from this morning are gone from her eyes and she looks her age. A small thirteen year old girl. Her appearance nearly identical to his own. Her face was blotchy and red, and traces of tears could still be seen hanging on to her long eyelashes.

"...Matoko." His tone was that of a tired and sad man. His brows furrowed to make him look his years.

She smiled at the sound of her name. She absentmindedly kicked her socked foot across the wooden floor and shifted her weight to her other foot. She spoke quietly, afraid to catch the rest of the family's attention.

"I-I...hmm...how are you?"

His eyes trailed down her figure. She was trembling and her lips were swollen from being bitten too long. 'She's been crying.' Sasuke thinks as he gently grabs her shoulders and kneels down to be at her level.

"I'm fine Matoko. What's the matter?"

She shakes her head and rubs away the stray drops of tears on her eyelashes. She attempts to smile again. "Umm...I...was...I was here when you and mama...f-fought..."

Sasuke freezes as she talks. Was she behind the door the entire time? She listened to all of that, and knows what he did to Hinata? His grip on Matoko's shoulders tightens as he listens to her small voice.

"I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I came home early...I wanted to h-help kaa-san with dinner...and then I heard your voices. I was g-going to leave because I was still mad at you, and I didn't w-want to see you. Then...kaa-san started yelling, and you started yelling."

"You know that neither your mother or I would have wanted you to hear any of that." He reassured her when her trembling increased.

She nodded slowly and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. "I know, but i-it's okay. Really. It's good for me to know this, to know that...even you and kaa-san...aren't perfect."

Sasuke could see the tears reforming in his daughter's eyes. He felt the familiar pang in his chest. Of feeling useless, unable to stop those tears. "Matoko..."

"I-I saw kaa-san...crying in the courtyard...all day. I m-made sure Yuki-chan didn't see her though..."

"Thank you." He whispered hoarsely. The alcohol affecting his speech a bit.

She nodded again and placed her other hand on his hand and squeezed that one too. "I-I came back, because I...didn't want to leave you alone...p-papa."

She walked into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry." She shook as she let the tears once again roll down her cheeks. Her grip on her father's neck tightened as she kept repeating the same thing over and over again. They both collapsed against the wall of the other room.

Sasuke with legs sprawled open, holding his daughter against his chest. A confused and dazed look on his face. His dark eyes studied the top of his daughter's soft indigo hair as he petted it.

"For what...you did nothing wrong."

"I did...you and mama fought over me...it was me. She tried to make an excuse for my b-behavior. She tried to m-make you see me as t-the v-victim. She was trying to p-protect me...and because of t-that she got a-angry at you. I don't care a-about the training anymore! I promise...j-just don't leave mama papa! Please, I k-know she l-loves you...and that y-you love her...I promise I won't be selfish anymore. J-Just don't leave h-her...don't l-leave us papa...I'm not mad at y-you anymore...r-really I'm not..."

"Shh..."

Sasuke placed a finger on her lips and smiled sadly down at her. She looked like the eight year old girl that always clung to him. God how he missed those days. He petted her hair as she watched him with pleading eyes. He took his thumb and wiped away the tears rolling down her cheek.

"Enough little one. No more tears, it's all right. I would never leave any of you. You're my family, and I will be there to protect all of you. No more apologizing, you did nothing wrong."

Matoko hugged her father's torso tightly and didn't let go. Her tears soaked her father's shirt as she cried. Sasuke's arms held her little waist tightly as they both laid on the wooden floor of the empty room.

He heard her muffled voice say. "P-Promise?"

He chuckled his voice still husky from the sake. "Yes, with my life." He squeezed her gently before saying. "I'm sorry for having to put your through this little one." He sighs. "Your father is much more of a fool than he thought he was."

"And mama?" she asked hesitantly as she leans the left side of her face on his chest.

"I'll talk to her later. We both need time away from each other. Don't worry Matoko, we'll fix it little by little."

He could feel her head slowly drooping. She must be tired, it was natural. She heard everything. She felt her mother's pain as well as his own. Then waited for who knows how many hours for him to leave so she could try to fix it. Matoko was more like him than he had thought. Carrying more than her share of guilt on her shoulders, blaming herself for things that she couldn't prevent.

He sighed as she felt her breathing becoming more slower and deeper.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered before letting sleep take her over.

He sighed as he held her to him like he did years ago. "I know Matoko...I know."

Her heartbeat returned to normal, and the small sobs slowly seized. The room was quiet again. His charcoal eyes followed the shadows made through the windows of the kitchen. It was almost midnight. He grunted as he lifted himself and Matoko as quietly as he could. Matoko stirred in his embrace but sunk her face deeper into the crook of his neck.

Sasuke padded upstairs and towards his daughter's room. He opened the door and walked towards her bed. He tucked her in carefully, wiping away the tears that remained on her cheeks. His expression softened as she let sleep give her a tranquil look.

He turned to walk back out, but stopped outside the door. "I'm sorry." He shook his head and closed the door behind him.

Sasuke combed back his hair with his fingers and cracked his tired shoulder bones. His charcoal eyes landed on his and Hinata's bedroom. A sad half-smile formed on his lips. He walked back downstairs. His thoughts were still troubled, and fogged up from the alcohol. Sasuke couldn't see her now. He was too damn scared of himself to talk to Hinata rationally. He couldn't bare to hurt her again.

He put his sandals on. 'I think I'll make a visit to the old man and mom.' he'd be back by morning. Hopefully things we'll be normal enough to not let Hikaru and Yuki worry over the fight as well. 'Matoko's reaction was tough enough, I won't let our sons suffer from our issues as well.'

His hand was already on the handle of the front door, when he heard a familiar squeak of a small feminine voice. His whole frame stiffened as his fingers barely touched the door.

"S-Sasuke..."

He turned around, his dark eyes landing on the figure of his wife standing on the foot of the stairs. Her cheek bandaged up, the swelling nearly gone. He could see the color of her irises as she stared back at him. Her fingers covered her lips, and her expression was mixed with sadness and fear.

"Hinata."

She smiled, or at least attempted to. Her eyes fell from his view and she stared at the floor. He looked down as well and laughed half-heartedly.

"Umm, I'm leaving. Don't worry...I won't let the kids worry...Just going to see my dad and mom..."

"A-Are you coming back?" she asked quietly.

"If...you want me to." he replied, his voice gentle.

He was surprised by her reaction. "O-Of course I want you to, you idiot!" Her eyes looked at him with anger, but love. "I-I was angry, and took out on you. Even though you deserved it. I just wanted you to not lose the relationship you had with your daughter. I heard what she had to say though."

"You..."

She nodded. "Yes, I was looking for her when I heard the both of you from upstairs." She smiled sweetly. "She's wonderful. Always thinking of her family before herself."

He smiled back. "Yes, I agree with you completely."

"You deserved everything I told you...and everything she told you." she walked towards him until she was in front of him. She tilted her head and stared into the eyes she fell in love.

Hinata pulled him into an embrace. "But it doesn't mean I love you any less Sasuke. You'll be hurting me more...i-if you didn't come back."

"Hinata...but..your bru..." he began.

"Doesn't matter. We were both angry at each other. Things happen."

She looked up at him with a smile and let his hand caress her injured cheek.

"I'm sorry." he whispered and kissed the cheek softly.

"I know." She whispered back.

Sasuke lifted her chin and met her lips with his own in a kiss. He embraced her and let his shoulders relax by her touch.

"I may be blind...but I'm not deaf Hinata...I heard what you said. I'll be sure to keep your words in my memory. I won't be like my father."

Hinata was about to reply, when they both heard a set of giggles coming from upstairs. She smiled as she heard three set of feet scamper away when they heard her activate her Byakugan. She smiled and held onto Sasuke's arm.

"I think we're all happy to hear that."

Sasuke smiled.

** End. :) **


End file.
